Oct 29, 2012

Jennifer Aubel

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Details Emerge About GSA’s OASIS Even as Draft RFP is Delayed Again

Although it now appears that the OASIS and OASIS SB draft RFPs will not be released until January 2013 at the earliest, critical details about the $12.0B professional services contract vehicle are starting to trickle out. Dozens of interested parties flocked to the OASIS breakout session at last week’s Coalition for Government Procurement Fall Conference to talk to members of the OASIS Program Team, including Deputy Program Manager Todd Richards, who provided the most comprehensive look yet at this hotly-anticipated contract. Even though Richards noted that the information provided was preliminary and subject to change, several key elements will be of particular strategic interest to companies planning to bid on OASIS:

• Although teaming will be encouraged at the order level, offers for the OASIS master contract will NOT be evaluated based on a team approach. Primes are expected to demonstrate past performance integrating all five core disciplines (program management, management consulting, logistics, engineering, and financial management), whether on their own or through subcontractors, and will not be allowed to bid on individual disciplines. Joint Ventures will be evaluated based on the JV’s past performance, NOT the past performance of the JV partners (i.e. JV created for the purpose of bidding on OASIS is unlikely to be successful).
• Since it will allow for both commercial and non-commercial item acquisition as well as cost-type contracts, OASIS will be CAS (Cost Accounting Standards) covered. Companies bidding on the unrestricted contract must have approved accounting and purchasing systems while small business contractors must have at least an adequate accounting system.
• Unsuccessful bidders will not be able to “buy [their] way onto OASIS”. Small business awardees who are purchased during the contract period will be prohibited from competing for new business and will be off-ramped.
• OASIS is being positioned to accommodate classified contracts. Bidders will propose four sets of labor rates – on-site, off-site, standard, and cleared – using standardized labor category titles and descriptions in order to facilitate an “apples to apples” comparison. Bidders who hold facility security clearances will receive bonus points in their evaluation.
• Small business utilization goals under the unrestricted contract will be very aggressive (up to 50%).

The OASIS team remains committed to maximizing industry and agency participation as they develop this exciting new contract vehicle. As always, you can find the most current information about OASIS in the OASIS Industry Community on GSA’s Interact site. Expect to see a redacted version of the internal business case to OFPP posted there by mid-November along with other breaking OASIS news. If you have any questions about complying with CAS, Aronson can help – please contact Nicole Mitchell at nmitchell@aronsonllc.com or (301) 222-8231. FedPoint will continue to keep you up-to-date as we follow this groundbreaking contract.

NOTE: You can review our past entries about OASIS by going here.