Polaris/DHA IT Protest 📰; 25M VA Mobile/DHS OFIT/CMS MDM/GSA TTS/99M USAF CyberOps wins; New SSA Data Chief; Grants & USAID Execs on chopping block

This month’s OS AI Fresh Squeezed Daily News sponsor:

Niyam IT, Inc. (Niyam) applies Human-Centered Design, Data Engineering, Geospatial Technology, and Cloud Computing to deliver program outcomes. Our industry & technology experts deliver mission-centric solutions that address current and future needs. Learn more.

🚨Army IT Day and APBI Highlights: Big IDIQs drawing attention – ENcompass Consulting Group’s SVP Richard Tucker shares his takeaways from two key events which revealed the Army’s plans for many upcoming acquisitions including the highly anticipated Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS), and Modern Software for Delivery (MSD) multiple-award IDIQs. Read on.

🐝The Morning Buzz:

• One protest pulled as GSA works to thwart challenges to $10B Polaris GWAC Small Business Pool
• White House pauses federal grant, loan other assistance programs
• Trump administration orders dozens of top career employees of USAID to go on administrative leave
• Digital WOSB Alliance new member application for the 2025 cycle now open
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused small businesses to know – Here we spotlight the CDC focused firms drawing interest of late. Meet them here.
• M&A: OPEXUS and Casepoint Announce Merger and Majority Investment from Thoma Bravo

🎯GovCon events to target today:

• This Thursday: DHS Online Happy Hour sponsored by PingWind
• Women in NOVA (WIN) February 2025 Breakfast with Defense Health Network Leader

🚀 OS AI launched a new GovCon Events Calendar! – Track More Federal GovCon Events Here.

The Juice🥤: Big Investments do not guarantee Big results, but they do signify intent! Some leaders set to make an impact in 2025:

• Social Security Administration recruits CDC’s Chuck Borges to serve as Chief Data Officer
• DHS OI&A recruits emerging FBI leader to drive Private Sector Engagement Branch
• DHS taps Branch Chief at DHS/CWMD
• State Department taps Office of Advanced Analytics leader
• Chad Cowan returns to HUD to serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration
• Magellan Federal promotes Elisa Kirkhorn to Chief Growth Officer
• Krystal Marino joins Makpar as VP of Growth
• Exiger adds Brian Kesecker as SVP, Defense Programs & Public Sector Growth Enablement
• XRDNA recruits US Air Force AI-Driven XR Disruptor as VP of Defense & Technology
• Bryce Lyons Joins FTI as Business Development VP
• Lance Riddle Named President & General Manager of Public Sector at DMI
• Quest Software Names Industry Veteran Tim Page as CEO
• Defense Intelligence, Cyber, Tech leader Jason Bacheler takes role as President with Trinity Defense

🍊OS AI Premium: Handpicked, crisp, juicy content for our Premium Sponsors/Subscribers:

• VA kills off Acquisition Systems Support contract
• Green Light?! Protest of Defense Health Agency Program Management RFP Set-Aside Shift strikes out

Not Yet a Premium Sponsor? Learn about our corporate and individual plans here, starting at $295 annually.

⚖ GAO and the Courts – Check out the latest:

• Defense Health Agency Protest Filed: Solicitation Number: HT001124R0041 | Emerge Solutions Group
• DOJ Protest Denial Decision Released: Administrative Office of the US Courts (AOUSC) Centralized Management and Operational Support

🔍 Been heads down working on a proposal? Search and track all the latest protest activity here

🌟The Peel Podcast – The power of HR in GovCon: Shelley McGuire and Halai Shukran, COO of Pluribus Digital and Marketing & Partnerships Chair for the Digital WOSB Alliance, dive into the critical partnership between HR and business development in government contracting. Listen in.

⚡Check out some of the key Contract Awards:
Note: We expect to see agencies slow award activity for a short period of time until new leadership is installed.

• VA: MO Wins Again… Again! – adds $25M Flagship Mobile App and Platform support task
• CMS: Next Phase beats out 3 to win Enterprise Master Data Management (MDM) task
• CBP: MetaPhase adds OF IT Financial Practice Business Study support contract
• GSA: Fearless awarded $8M Login.gov Infrastructure and Technical Services task
• DOJ updates Phoenix budget formulation tool support bridge contract award
• IRS Contract Award: OCIO Support Services for Employees with Disabilities O&M support
• USAF: DNI subsidiary scores $99M Cyberspace Operations Support Services IDIQ
• USAF: Karthik Consulting beats out 2 to win A2 Support Service contract
• Army: DigiFlight awarded CMO Programmatic Support Services contract
• Navy: $43M Digital Interoperability Marine Air-Ground Task Force Agile Network Gateway Link task
• Navy: SDVOSB ATSI beat out 6 to win $16M NSWC Crane Support Services task
• Navy Contract Award: $13M Palantir Software Solution on SEWP
• DOD Contract Award: WHS Data Transfer Cross Domain Solution on SEWP

🔍Looking for a specific award or other news? Check out OS’s Advanced Search Function here Did we miss highlighting your key win? Message us at support@orangeslices.ai” style=”mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #1f5301;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;”>support@orangeslices.ai.

🔥 Hot Off The Presses – Announcements posted recently that are drawing interest:

• Koniag Government Services Expands Strategic Partner Program to Strengthen Commitment to Small Businesses
• IT-Strat Partners with Zetaris
• US Army Awards L3Harris Nearly $300 Million for Resilient Communications Program
• IntelliDyne Awarded OASIS+ IDIQ Contract Vehicle
• MAJUS Consulting earns ISO 27001 certification

🌶 Solicitation Updates/Opportunities Drawing Interest:

• DOE RFP: Peoplesoft Application Developer Consultant
• USGS RFI: Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observations (RCA-EO)
• USAF RFI: Air Force Technical Application Center (AFTAC) Data Operations Support
• USAF RFI: Interoperable Data Links System and RGS Support and Sustainment
• USAF RFP: Air Education Training Command (AETC) Administrative and Technical IT Support

📢 Most Viewed Comments:

• RE: DHS RFI: CWMD Program Management Support – Did anyone else notice that the DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System is down?! More here.
• Re: MetaPhase – … Our founders have made MPC a place people want to come to work… We’re a 300+ person company now and they still choose to do this because it’s the right thing to do. More here.