8(a) STARS III Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)

Applied Intellect (AI) holds a Prime 8(a) STARS III (Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resources for Services) GWAC, under Constellation I. The 8(a) STARS III GWAC is a dynamic Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, engineered to provide cutting-edge technology solutions from award-winning 8(a) Small Businesses to federal agencies. For the Government, 8(a) STARS III offers streamlined procurement for participants since prices have been pre-competed. As each technology provider has been proven, agencies are assured quality work with a much shorter procurement lead-time and lower user access fees while receiving socioeconomic credit.

Contract Number: 47QTCB21D0210
Contractor DUNS Number: 963042002
Period of Performance: Base Period from June 13, 2017 – August 30, 2021
(awarded task orders can extend through August 30, 2024)

Scope of Awarded Contract

The 8(a) STARS III GWAC is intended to support federal agency Information Technology (IT) requirements. The geographical scope of coverage is worldwide and organizational scope of coverage includes those entities authorized in GSA Order ADM 4800. Applied Intellect (AI) has been awarded the 8(a) STARS III GWAC, Constellation I, in the following four Functional Areas:

• Constellation I, Functional Area 1, NAICS #541511 (CIFA1)
• Constellation I, Functional Area 1, NAICS #541512 (CIFA2)
• Constellation I, Functional Area 1, NAICS #541513 (CIFA3)
• Constellation I, Functional Area 1, NAICS #541519 (CIFA4)
  
  

Features 

• $10B program ceiling and five-year base period with one, five-year option
• Directed task orders up to $4M, under the competitive threshold per FAR 19.804-6. The rationale at FAR 19.804-2(a)10, (i) or (ii), is germane to directed orders. While some sole source is flagged as “high risk,” that is not the case with 8(a) directed orders
• Contract types include: Fixed-Price Family (FAR 16.2), Time & Materials (FAR 16.6), Labor-Hour (FAR 16.6), Hybrid blends, and Incentives (FAR 16.4)
• Permits other direct costs to include ancillary services and/or equipment that the Government determines to be integral and necessary to the IT services-based solution
• Access to exceptionally qualified 8(a) small business industry partners
• Pre-competed, easy-to-use contract with streamlined ordering procedures based on FAR 16.505
• Compliance with Section 843 of the NDAA of 2008 and Section 863 of NDAA 2009 (DoD). DoD bought close to a Billion dollars on STARS I
• Limited protests on orders under $10M
  
  

Benefits

• Allows for long term planning of large scale program requirement
• Enhanced opportunities for government to engage the right skills very quickly
• Offers flexibility of contract types to mitigate risk
• Provides flexibility at the order level and facilitates integrated IT solutions
• Enables federal clients to earn 8(a) small business credit
• Saves time and money by reducing procurement lead time
• FAR 16.505 Fair Opportunity process supports best value awards
• Minimizes protest risk and supports timely order award for optimal mission support
  
  

Ordering from STARS III

8(a) STARS III was authorized under the provisions of Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act 15 U.S.C. 637(a) and retains the 8(a) sole-source, a/k/a/ “directed order”, authority found in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.8. 8(a) STARS III resulted from a competitive 8(a) procurement, which was offered to and accepted into the SBA 8(a) program; therefore order requirements do not require an additional offer and acceptance from SBA per 19.804-6(a).

An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum dated June 6, 2008, titled “Improving the Management and Use of Interagency Acquisitions” establishes that using a GWAC, such as STARS III, is presumed to be in the Government’s best interest. In a July 29, 2009, memorandum from the OMB, the Director cited that Agencies should not count as high risk those acquisitions made noncompetitively pursuant to a statute, including sole source awards made under the small business development 8(a) program.

The Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy issued a memorandum dated July 14, 2011, identifying 8(a) STARS III as a contract to be considered by DoD organizations during market research in support of maximizing small business prime contracting opportunities.

Federal contracting officers (CO) who wish to use 8(a) STARS III must receive a STARS III overview training and Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA). Orders can be awarded by warranted CO who have received a written Delegation of (DPA). There are various ways to receive STARS III DPA training: 1) through a self-paced on-line course; 2) via conference call; 3) through on-site training for large groups; 4) webinar; 5) video teleconference; or 6) by reviewing and understanding the STARS III Ordering Guide. For more details, please visit STARS II Delegation of Procurement Authority (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104043).

Point of Contact:

For detailed information on how Applied Intellect (AI) can meet your needs using this contract, please contact:

SANJEEV K. SHARMA, PE, PMP
8(a) STARS III Program Manager

V: 724.765.0402
F: 724.703.1666
E: sanjeev.sharma@ap-in.com

GSA Contacts:

For more information about how the 8(a) STARS III GWAC can help your agency with information technology requirements, contact The Small Business GWAC Center at:

T: 877.327.8732
E: S2@gsa.gov
W: www.gsa.gov/8astars2