Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 4 (CIO-SP4)
CIO-SP4 (Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 4) is meant to provide IT products and services to meet biomedical research and healthcare needs. As the successor to CIO-SP3, the CIO-SP4 solicitation was recently extended through November 1, 2022.
Multiple contract types (e.g., Fixed Price, Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Cost Plus Award Fee, Cost Reimbursement, Time & Materials and Labor Hour) are included in this contract vehicle which will be accessible by all Department of Defense (DoD) and federal civilian agencies. The contract ceiling is $50 billion.
CIO-SP4 covers 10 Task Areas. All offerors must qualify for Task Area 1. Offerors who receive award on the contract are only able to bid on work within their awarded Task Areas. The Task Areas include:
1. IT services for biomedical research, health sciences, and healthcare
2. CIO support
3. Digital media
4. Outsourcing
5. IT operations and maintenance
6. Integration services
7. Cybersecurity
8. Digital government and cloud services
9. Enterprise resource planning
10. Software development
The vehicle is a Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), and the period of performance is 15 years, including a five-year base period and a five-year option. Additionally, any task orders awarded on the last day of the option have the choice for an additional five years of performance.
Awards under CIO-SP4 are to be split by socio-economic groupings including other than small business, emerging large business, and small business (including WOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), VOSB & SDVOSB). Indian Economic Enterprises and Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises are also represented as categories. Offerors can also bid under Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs).
Proposals are evaluated in two phases—following the use of self-scoring construct along with traditional a best value source selection methodology. In Phase I, offerors are ranked on a self-scoring sheet and the top proposals advance to Phase II of the evaluation. During Phase II, contractors are ranked based on best value considering both non-price and price factors. Following Phase II, awards are made. The non-price factors include:
- Technical capability and understanding
- Corporate experience
- Management approach
- Past performance
Self-scoring requires a review of corporate experience against RFP defined “task areas” which include:
1. IT services for biomedical research and healthcare
2. Chief information officer support
3. Digital media
4. Outsourcing
5. IT operations and maintenance
6. Integration services
7. Cybersecurity
8. Digital government and cloud services
9. Enterprise resource planning
10. Software development
Other self-scoring areas include experience with leading edge technology (LET), multiple award contract experience, locations, compliance with executive order 13779, corporate certifications and contractor business systems including:
- Earned Value Management System (EVMS)
- Acceptable Estimating System
- Approved Purchasing System
Third-party CPA review is acceptable for select business systems as dictated within the solicitation.
Additionally, awarded offerors will need to submit an annual certification that they maintain an adequate accounting system for cost reimbursement task orders under this contract. Section C.3.7 states that the contractor shall submit a signed and dated letter on its company letterhead annually certifying compliance with FAR 16.301-3(a)(3) for determining costs applicable to task orders under this contract during the previous and next years.
The CIO-SP4 solicitation notes that Department of Defense (DoD) task orders may be subject to additional requirements and highlights DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) as an example. With the growing importance of cybersecurity and Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM), contractors should consider compliance in order to adequately pursue DoD work at the task order level.
Solicitation is closed.
Note: ~500 awards were expected by the beginning of 2023, however, NITAAC has been delayed in its review due to protests. Awards should be forthcoming.
