GSA STARS III Third Cohort of Awardees Released for IT Contract

GSA STARS III Third Cohort of Awardees Released for IT Contract

6-20-22

The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced the third cohort of awardees for the fourth-generation 8(a) Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resource for Services, aka STARS III GWAC. The GSA revealed on June 17, 2022, that a total of 61 small businesses were selected for this cohort. This follows the initial cohort of 426 underserved businesses awarded in June of 2021, and a secondary cohort with 557 businesses. This will be the final cohort for the contract.

The STARS III solicitation’s purpose is acquiring IT services and solutions from 8(a) small businesses. This includes emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and robotic process automation. It entered the Sources Sought stage on August 9, 2020. Thereafter, the contract has expanded beyond the initial draft to a $50-billion ceiling and up to 15 years in length.

The Small Business Association (SBA) has established that 8(a) businesses must be at minimum 51% owned and operated by U.S. citizens who are both socially and economically disadvantaged and have an individual net worth of less than $750,000, adjusted gross income of less than $350,000 and assets totaling less than $6 million.

The STARS GWACs leverage a long-standing collaboration with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to assist in the development of 8(a) businesses and offer federal agencies a means to deliver important IT services by working with small, disadvantaged businesses. STARS III will drive progress on key public policy objectives including the President’s Executive Order 13985 On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

Since the initial STARS III cohorts were awarded, a total of 154 task orders have been made with an approximate value of $500 million. In addition, more than 30 awardees who have been awarded these task orders are brand new to the GSA.

The GSA expects to publish formal notices to the third cohort in mid-July.

To learn more about STARS III and to keep up to date on newly awarded task orders, please sign into your EZGovOpps account and visit this page or get started with a 5-day Trial.