Navy announces 385 new Seaport-e IDIQ Contracts

The Navy just announced 385 new multiple award contracts under their Seaport-e program.  There were 415 offers under what the Navy calls their "Rolling Admission Program" this year and 385 companies were selected.  These contracts are mainly for service requirements for the Navy in 22 different functional areas and have become a competitive and popular way for the Navy to do business in these areas.  There are currently more than 2,500 contractors holding Seaport-e ID/IQ contracts so there is adequate competition on winning task orders under the contracts.  While the program is open to large and small businesses the Navy estimates that 85% of the contract holders are small businesses.  The Navy has established a goal of 33% of total dollars to be awarded to small businesses. The Navy will purchase over $5 Billion worth of services under this program each fiscal year which means over a $1.65 Billion opportunity for small business.  In addition, large business awards under the program have a subcontracting goal of 20% to small business.  This adds another $1 Billion opportunity for small business.  In all, there should be over $2.65 Billion opportunity for small business.  

The Seaport-e program adds new contracts, usually each spring, via their Rolling Admissions program.  During this time contractors can make proposals or existing contractors can add additional areas and/or scopes to their current contracts.  The contracts are called Multiple Award Contracts or MAC's and allow the contractor to propose different areas that they are capable of providing services within.  The Navy then posts requests for task orders and competes these within the holders of the contracts.  Usually a "team" of contractors is put together to bid on a task order.  The task orders can be of several contract vehicles such as Firm Fixed Price, Fixed Price Incentive, Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Cost Plus Incentive Fee, and Cost Plus Award Fee. There are no Time and Material task orders in the current group.  As a result, most of the contractors are required to have an approved accounting system.  To many of those contractors new to government contracting this can be a daunting requirement.  Usually there are multiple types of requirements put on the contractor including many of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) guidelines among others.  ReliAscent personnel have helped many contractors in the past put together and operate accounting systems meeting these requirements.  Many of the new contractors that have just been given Seaport-e contracts will be faced with finding someone to help them with this task. I would recommend that if you are a new Seaport-e contract holder, or know of one, that we should talk soon. 

 


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