Letter to the Editor: NITAAC responds to misstatements

NITAAC assisted acquisition services still operational

On the 9/03 edition of Amtower Off Center, in a conversation with Larry Allen on “All Things Contracting,” Mark Amtower incorrectly asserted that NITAAC was a part of the ongoing review of the Program Support Center (PSC). He also indicated that our assisted acquisition program has been shuttered. This is not the case and NITAAC would like to clarify a few of these misconceptions for the contracting community.

Myth: NITAAC is part of the Program Support Center?

NITAAC is not a part of PSC. Although housed within HHS, NITAAC, a federal executive agent, is a separate agency and serves as a full-service acquisition program.

Myth: The NITAAC Assisted Acquisition program is under review?

While NITAAC does have several task orders that contain a DD254, the form that is under review at PSC, there have been no allegations that NITAAC has mishandled any of our assisted acquisitions.

Myth: NITAAC is no longer supporting Assisted Acquisitions.

Because we are not involved in the ongoing review or impacted by PSC’s decision to decertify, NITAAC’s Assisted Acquisition Services program is continuing to process all fiscal 2019 Assisted Awards, including those from the DoD.

Myth: NITAAC is no longer supporting the DoD.

Although our cut-off date for new assisted acquisition work has passed, the DoD can continue to use any of our three GWACS, CIO-CS, CIO-SP3 and CIO-SP3 Small Business, to make direct awards. NITAAC assisted acquisition is also accepting fiscal 2020 work from multiple agencies.

Myth: NITAAC is not supporting PSC customers.

NITAAC is assisting customers that have been affected by changes at PSC.  However, any task orders previously awarded by PSC cannot be transferred to NITAAC during the remainder of this fiscal year, nor can any actions that were already in queue with PSC.

Fact: NITAAC is here to assist with all your federal IT acquisition needs.

NITAAC is equipped to handle the IT procurement needs of every federal agency. And, to assist with the busy end of year buying season, NITAAC has extended our customer service hours in September to accommodate end of year procurement needs.

The hours are as follows:

• Monday through Friday: 8 am – 8 pm
• September 21, 22, 28 and 29: 8 am – 4 pm

Our assisted acquisition services are still operational and our three “Best-in-Class” GWACs continue to provide agencies access to low cost, high quality products, services and solutions to tackle their federal IT challenges.

Bridget Gauer is the director of NIH’s Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC).

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