Jump to content

Contracting with one requirement but two different GWACS


Recommended Posts

It was brought to my attention that years ago GSA indicated that if your particular body of work fit under two different GSA contracts you could compete the body of work under both contracts.  If this scenario is true can you take one requirement and compete it among two different GWAC’s (examples:  STARS and ALLIANT).  Is there a prohibition against competing one requirement on  two vehicles?  What concerns would need to be considered?  If this is acceptable what are the necessary steps to make it work? Would the CS/CO need to get approval from the GSA/GWAC Contracting Officer?  Would the terms and conditions have to reference the requirement was being competed on two different vehicles. 

 

There are multiple times when we issue task orders under different contract vehicles and only receive one or two proposals.  If we were permitted to submit a requirement among two different vehicles simultaneously the chances for receiving more than one or two proposal increases, therefore increasing competition among vendors.  Of course if we were to anticipate receiving a significant amount of proposals on one vehicle we would not entertain competing among two vehicles. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No danger or risk- obtaining more competition is the precise thing we are looking for.  The concern is if there are any prohibitions against this practice.  Can this be done and are there any additional requirements that need to take place in order for this to be completed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MCritzman said:

No danger or risk- obtaining more competition is the precise thing we are looking for.  The concern is if there are any prohibitions against this practice.  Can this be done and are there any additional requirements that need to take place in order for this to be completed. 

I suggest contacting the GSA points of contact and ask them. 

As for whatever other considerations or requirements, we don't know what you are trying to procure but I think that you should also consider how much time and resources of the schedule holders would be required to respond to your RFQ's.

You should advise them of your approach. Firms will decide whether or not to compete against  not only the other firms on their contract but now with those additional firms from another vehicle. 

Ask yourself why you haven't been getting much response under one schedule and whether firms will be interested in potentially wider competition scenario. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My opinion is essentially unchanged from that which I expressed 15 years ago in the archived thread. Thanks, Carl. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The terms and conditions of the two different GWAC contract groups are different so it would be awfully hard to evaluate  the proposals fairly apples ot apples.    

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the GWACs you select are reserved for different categories of small business (e.g. small business and 8a), I think you would have trouble with the SBA doing, in effect, a small business and an 8a set aside for the same procurement. Perhaps you could consider a cascading set aside procurement approach, but I don't know how you could do that using separate GWACs already set aside for small business categories.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to the challenge of dissimilar contract terms and conditions, are you also aware of or somewhat concerned about the fairness aspect/business viewpoint of changing the boundaries of the competition beyond the pools that firms reasonably expected competition to be limited to?

Not sure why you haven't attracted more interest in the past.  Perhaps you would interest additional firms - or discourage some firms that would have responded under a competition under a single GWAC.  I suggest some market research into potential resistance or additional interest by competing among multiple GWAC sources.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...