Heather Kirk December 13, 2022 1 Comment

Catching many by surprise, to include VA industry insiders, the Department of Veterans Affairs Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) released an RFI early last week that officially kicked off the Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation Two (T4NG2) competition, while outlining a very aggressive timeline for solicitation release, evaluation, and award of this important multiple award Information Technology (IT) solutions and services IDIQ contract.  

Over the past week, the OS AI team has connected with several industry leaders that will be supporting Prime bid efforts, and in the interest of driving more and better-informed competition, we share here just a few of the key topics and common themes that were brought up time and again, with an emphasis on partnering, joint ventures, scoring, and the VA’s desire for new faces and innovation. 

Of note, we at OS AI are not going to break down any forthcoming solicitation here (or ever), nor can you count on us to track the schedule or to discuss the finer points of scoring and proposal response. There are plenty of consultants out there very capable of supporting these needs. If you need help identifying a consultant, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to point you in the right direction.   

What you can expect from OS AI, over the upcoming weeks and months, is to focus on what we do well and that is to help shed a light on the competitive landscape, while identifying and sharing some of the potential top Prime bidders and subcontractors you will want to know if you are planning to make a run yourself at this high-profile IDIQ contract.  

Here Goes – a few Key T4NG2 Discussion Topics: 

  1. The VA TAC and the competition schedule – If nearly any other acquisition shop announced this type of aggressive timeline, industry would be shrugging it off as wishful, but unlikely, thinking. That is not the case here as the VA TAC has a track record of consistently hitting its dates. That is not to say you won’t see some movement to the right, but barring a change in strategy, you should not bet against the TAC hitting milestones. Plan accordingly.  
  2. Self-Scoring Scorecards Twist – Word that VA, as part of its acquisition approach, intends to utilize a self-scoring methodology, is an unexpected addition that is concerning, and rightfully so, to many established T4NG players and potential Prime bidders.  

This leaves unanswered questions – What will be the end goal of teaming in terms of achieving a certain score on a scorecard and what will be permissible from a self-scoring and teaming perspective? What will be the impact upon award for those offered a place on the vehicle and how might that change during bid of task orders? Expect this to be a section that draws the most attention when the draft RFP is released. The evaluation factors and any restrictions placed on the ability for companies (over and under) to support multiple bidders, or be exclusive to one bidder, will be important points with firms looking to nail down their teaming strategy quickly. 

We have no idea what will be in this potential scorecard if it comes to fruition. It could be a complete game changer in terms of leveling the playing field for those not currently in the VA space, but doing amazing IT or Health IT work elsewhere, or the criteria may strongly favor past performance. What we do know with 100% certainty is that savvier firms are working overtime to influence these criteria. 

  1. JVs stand to rule the day – Nearly every corner of the Federal sector has seen a rise in joint venture Prime bidders on agency IDIQ and BPA competitions, especially when a self-scoring component is involved. Barring an unexpected change, you can expect to see a significant percentage of Prime bidders (and likely winners) coming from SBA Mentor Protégé SDVOSB Joint Ventures. 
  2. Aggressive and Early Timeline will impact the number of bids received – VA is one of the most competitive and dynamic marketplaces in the Federal sector today, filled with some of the savviest industry growth leaders you can find anywhere. VA will not be wanting when it comes to Prime bids, but the early solicitation release, combined with the inability for companies to quickly stand up a CVE (soon to be SBA) certified SDVOSB JV in this timeframe, unless the wheels are not already in motion, ensures there will be less competition than there would have been had the VA set an 18-24 month competition timeline (as many expected).   
  3. Don’t be fooled – Core teams for many larges are in place – While the aggressive timeline was a bit surprising, this does not mean that the primary VA players were caught flat footed. Speak to any major IT solutions provider that consistently plays in the VA space and they are likely locked up in a JV already and are executing against a teaming and capture strategy that has been in motion since before the last on-ramp was awarded. That does not mean that teams are 100% locked, but don’t expect to find these companies scrambling.  
  4. Non-JV SDVOSBs are nervous – This is true for even the most established and successful SDVO firms at VA as, if the scorecard gives extra weight to certain items such as certification or business systems, they may not be able to achieve the same score, even though they have a successful track record of success.   
  5. Happy Accidents of timing for some with SBA Size Standard increases/calculation changes – If the timeline persists, several companies that most had written off as viable SDVOSB competition for the next iteration of T4NG, may now be back in play. The calculation changes of average annual receipts for all of SBA’s receipts-based size standards from a three-year averaging period to a five-year averaging period, coupled with some impending 2022 changes in the size standard for state primary NAICS 541512, will keep some serious competitors in play.  

Have some of your own conversation topics that we did not cover here? Disagree with what was said? Comment below.   

What is next – Be on the lookout as OS AI is in the process of compiling some data that we will share soon about potential Prime and subcontractor partner options (JVs included), with an emphasis on some of the off the radar entities.  

Related Data 

Firms drawing the most attention:  

Included below is a list of the large and small companies we have noted as drawing the most views by Government and industry leaders on the OrangeSlices AI consultant directory over the past month and that bring direct past performance and/or related relationships in support of VA.  

** An Elev8 GovCon Honoree, noted for a corporate culture that demonstrates its own excellence, making the company a beacon for talent, for partners, and for clients. 

We cannot and will not speculate here as to the reasons for the increased interest, but whether it is a company evaluating them as a potential partner; a federal acquisition leader doing their due diligence; or a consultant weighing their next job move, this group of companies has been receiving increased interest.  

REF: 36C10B23Q0069 

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