Regarding "Use of GWACs seen slowing," a reader writes: FedSources is a reputable company and shares its market research willingly, as is the case with its report of the decline in the use of [governmentwide acquisition contracts] from over $5 billion to $3.2 billion.
All things being equal, with well-qualified teams of companies bound together to meet [information technology] mission requirements, one may have to look beyond his or her agency's specific mission needs to meet socioeconomic mandates. According to the FPDS, there doesn't seem to be a problem meeting most small- and disadvantaged-business requirements except for the HUBZone and, in particular, the congressional and presidential mandated service-disabled veteran-owned small business 3 percent prime contract procurement requirement.
My question is this: In light of the size of the IT budgets across the entire federal government and the inability of most of the executive agencies to meet their portion of this mandate, why is it that the Vets GWAC hasn't been used to a greater extent? This is a tool that is available to all agencies to assist them in meeting their 3 percent goal.
Clearly, the people's IT business can partially be conducted by these well-qualified people. With all the attention in the trade press about both Alliant procurements, the Vets GWAC remains an equally powerful GWAC that has already been awarded and is available right now to address some of this so-called pent-up business.
John P. Moliere
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I am being told by DOD Contracting Personnel at bases and subordinate commands that the DOD Policy to use DOD ID/IQ contracts like NETCENTS before using GSA and/or other agency contract vehicles hinders their using GSA VETS GWAC unless they can justify and obtain approval to use VETS GWAC. The contracting shops are so busy they do not have time to write a justification and obtain approval to use VETS GWAC. The President's Executive Order and the litany of Memos from OSD/ATL, SAF/SB/AQC, Secretary of the Army have encouraged Contracting Officers to use GSA Contracts to meet SDVOSB 3% Targets with the caveat that they are in compliance with existing DOD Contracting Policy. The Memo signatories did not rescind modify or provide an exception of the original DOD Contracting Policy to permit Contracting Officers to easily use GSA VETS GWAC. Until DOD makes the GSA VETS GWAC an exception to their "Do not use Non DOD Contracts" Rule there will be very little use by the military services of the VETS GWAC.
Posted by ARIZONA-VET on April 14, 2008 - 10:54 AM
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