Like many other agencies, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is throwing their hat into IT modernization. OPM has IT systems called the Trust Funds Federal Financial System (FFS) that are over three decades old. The FFS performs financial management and accounting for over $1 trillion in combined assets for retirement, health benefits, and life insurance for federal employees. These older systems don’t meet the standards needed for some of the trust fund accounting and related business processes. Not surprisingly, this...

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a request for information (RFI) on how best to combine two existing data centers and revamp the infrastructure to be more cloud-based. The agency wants to modernize legacy IT computers and storage, migrate data to the Cloud, and to optimize remaining data center environments, so they are soliciting feedback on cost effective and innovative strategies from industry. In addition, they are gathering information on vendor capabilities with experience, expertise, and technology for...

The Air Force is developing a business case analysis for the further exploration of all options to increase their pool of trained pilots via CUPT (Contract Undergraduate Pilot Training Support). The contractor’s instructor pilots will not require FAA certs; however, they must meet the USAF’s and contractor’s experience requirements, complete the contractor’s new-hire program and take a check-ride based on USAF requirements. The contractor will cover the required training (SOF, RSU, Ops Supervisor, etc.) before the flight training is kicked-off. The...

About a month ago the DoD (Department of Defense) proposed to enforce a rule through the Defense Acquisition Regulations System which would make changes to payments for ongoing contracts. This would make payments to government contractors linked to performance and delivery events rather than timeline-based progress, at least for contractors that aren’t small businesses. Specifically, for DoD solicitations 2019 and onward, this would trim down the baseline progress-payment rate from 80% to 50% for contractors that aren’t small businesses. The...

A draft solicitation from the Air Force was released 9-17-18 for an upcoming IT support contract. It will include services concerning information systems in the Air Force’s National Capital Region (AFNCR) to reach mission objectives and further contain/reduce costs. Program management, engineering, cybersecurity, Enterprise IT operations and National Military Command Center support are the main responsibilities included in the RFP. The winner of this contract would provide the qualified managerial, administrative, technical, quality personnel, and financial resources necessary to meet...

If your company specializes in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) products and/or services, the Department of Homeland Security will be discussing with the industry the Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management RFI (request for information) released in mid-August. The event will take place on September 27th, 2018 at The MITRE Corp. in McLean, Virginia with a limit of 250 attendees. Risk management for the “Cyber Supply Chain” is the detection and management of risks inherent within ICT products and services and...

In an effort to increase transparency and reduce reliance on the Dun and Bradstreet numbering system, the GSA has released an RFP looking for an alternative. Much to Dun and Bradstreet’s chagrin, I’d imagine, their contract with the GSA ends this year and there is going to be some competition. As you likely already know, the DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) is the system agencies use to identify contractors, non-profits, grant-recipients and other firms and has been in use since...

If you’re an IT contractor that specializes in SATCOM (Satellite Communications), there are a number of upcoming opportunities in the space, including DISA’s latest RFI, and this large Army opportunity. This particular solicitation has a scope of $126 million and a length of five years. The requirements include providing facility, sustainment and maintenance support including on-site support to systems. This includes installation of systems, site planning and preparation, warranty, sustainment training, incidental procurement, engineering, depot level support and life-cycle support...

DISA (Defense Information Systems Agency) has released an RFI for the industry to assist with the development and planning of a potential new requirement. The Satellite Communication (SATCOM) Ordering, Management & Situational Awareness Tools (SOMSAT) arrangement’s purpose is to deliver comprehensive, timely, and secure management. This includes ordering, fulfilment, resource management, account management, configuration management, security management, fault management, and situational awareness. At the moment, these functions are performed with siloed tools and manual processes. DISA would like to move...