Has anyone used OASIS+ for large facilities operations and maintenance contracts (mowing & janitorial)?

USACE owns and operates many LARGE recreational projects with campgrounds, boat ramps, etc. in rural areas. We have recently been encouraged to utilize OASIS+ when possible. Currently, my district is in the process of awarding 4 new O&M contracts for some of our lake projects. Imagine 10+ areas (per individual project location) that require groundskeeping and janitorial services for multiple campsites, public beach access, picnic areas, playgrounds, navigation aids, septic tank pumping, etc. I cannot stress how large these projects are and how rural the areas are that these projects are located in. We are talking multi-million dollar contracts for base +4 option years of commercial services.

I understand the OASIS+ offers options for facilities operation and maintenance, but has anyone ever used it for large projects?

I don’t know. Your best bet is asking GSA. oasisplus@gsa.gov. The concern I’ve seen in similar situations when the commodity doesn’t fit scope well, the pool of contractors is not well suited to perform. Consequently contractors that choose to participate propose by the use of subcontractors. So you pay more because of pass through costs.

10 hours ago, eleven0ali said:

We have recently been encouraged to utilize OASIS+ when possible.

A couple of thoughts. If me my market research would look something like this (which could be inclusive of your post).

An exhaustive discussion with the AbilityOne Program to ensure that as a mandatory source none of the facilities could be serviced through the Program.

And

A review of the data bases (internet sites) that are a wrap up of Federal procurements such as USASpending and FPDS to see if I could locate agencies that have used the OASIS contracts for such an effort and then contact those agencies that have. Also possible a seach of CPARS performance reports but I will say I have not used CPARS for a long time and not sure that you could easily search on a discrimator that would yield OASIS contracted efforts.

Another idea that came to me. Look through the companies in the pool. Do some research include looking at their websites. Get in touch with any promising ones and ask for examples of specific experiences. Check with their contacts/references.

Two things of concern - is the work within scope and GSA can confirm that. You can also look through the GSA OASIS solicitation. I already mentioned the other which is will the contractors need to do extensive subcontracting?

16 hours ago, C Culham said:

An exhaustive discussion with the AbilityOne Program to ensure that as a mandatory source none of the facilities could be serviced through the Program.

On 8/15/2025 at 8:10 AM, eleven0ali said:

Imagine 10+ areas (per individual project location) that require groundskeeping and janitorial services for multiple campsites, public beach access, picnic areas, playgrounds, navigation aids, septic tank pumping, etc. I cannot stress how large these projects are and how rural the areas are that these projects are located in

I personally don’t see a fit for Ability One program for mowing/groundskeeping/site cleanup services at the type of USACE areas described, if the Lake Sidney Lanier or Tenn-Tom Waterway recreation areas are typical examples.

21 hours ago, joel hoffman said:

I personally don’t see a fit

Interesting thought as I see nothing in the statute and implementing regulation that suggests a "personal" determination of the "fit". Seems to me that it would be the Program that would make that determination.

FAR 8.002 Priorities for use of mandatory Government sources. (condensed)

"(a) Except as required by 8.003, or as otherwise provided by law, agencies shall satisfy requirements for supplies and services from or through the mandatory government sources and publications listed below in descending order of priority:......

(2) Services. Services that are on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (see subpart  8.7)........

(c) The statutory obligation for Government agencies to satisfy their requirements for supplies or services available from the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled also applies when contractors purchase the supplies or services for Government use."

And could it be a "fit" if the entity subcontracted some of the effort?

"11. Does AbilityOne support Small Business?

Yes. AbilityOne nonprofit agencies subcontract and partner with small businesses. The program has initiatives underway to increase collaborative opportunities with small businesses. A survey of our nonprofit agencies — representing 48% of the Program’s largest agencies — found that among that group, 25% of subcontract dollars or $217M was awarded to small businesses.

Approximately 250 small businesses are part of the AbilityOne Program’s commercial distribution network." (REF: https://www.abilityone.gov/abilityone_program/faqs.html )

The easiest thing to do is check the Procurement List. I looked at both sites Joel mentioned and if these are ones elevanOali is asking about, they aren't included and I would just move on. The work encompasses a wide range of tasks including recreational campground and navigation aid support besides what Joel listed. I would just document the file noting the wide range of tasks required, the remote and expansive locations, and anticipated size of the resulting contracts.

Plus the key item is the work is not on the Procurement List.

I did check the Procurement List list and didn’t see all the type of services that I think elevenOali was referring to. But I did couch it as my opinion based upon some of my experience at and around USACE camp, picnic, and swimming areas, navigational aids, etc. in remote areas along banks of reservoirs, lakes and rivers, etc. There are distinctions between routine custodial and grounds work and finding and removal of massive amounts of scattered litter and maintenance of campsites. But I suppose that it would depend upon the specific nature of the work.

Of course, the USACE District would have to check the Procurement List.

I don’t know anything about OASIS+ contracts.

On 8/15/2025 at 4:49 PM, C Culham said:

An exhaustive discussion with the AbilityOne Program

20 hours ago, formerfed said:

The easiest thing to do is check the Procurement List.

19 hours ago, joel hoffman said:

I did check the Procurement List list

I do not know what the OP has done or not done. I made a suggestion ("exhaustive") and I will stick to it. I agree it is not the only option and is the very reason I made an additoinal suggestion. My personal view is it is easy to skip over AbilityOne, or not even consider whatsoever, when in truth it would seem the Program has shown success nationwide and I suspect strongly in the very work being considered. I am out!

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Just to add on to the AbilityOne recommendation, I did want to point out that service contracts are added to the Procurement List individually, so if you're searching the list you won't see your location listed for those services. You'll have to reach out to AbilityOne to see if they have any participating non-profits in that area that can perform the services: https://www.abilityone.gov/procurement_list/services_request.html

The non-profits are more than capable and for anything they can't do in-house, they can subcontract to small businesses. I worked on a military base grounds maintenance contract that was around $2M a year and the same non-profit also had the custodial contract there of similar value so your scope doesn't sound too large for them based on the info shared. Being in a rural area may limit the availability of a participating non-profit to meet your requirements, but I wouldn't write them off based on capabilities alone.

I’m a big advocate of AbilityOne under the right circumstances. When I was in the government, we converted a contract for maintenance of a large file room operation to AbilityOne. That was a big success and performance over the incumbent contractor improved.

I’ve also seen instances where aggressive business development personnel from AbilityOne added long delays before realizing the work was suited.