The General Services Administration today awarded the next great multiple award governmentwide IT contract.

The Second Generation Information Technology (2GIT) blanket purchase agreements (BPAs) went to 75 companies, including 56 small businesses. The MAC could be worth $5.5 billion over five years.

The BPAs consists of five distinct IT line items:

• Data Center (Compute/Store)—to include servers, storage, network and commercial off-the-shelf software
• End User—to include laptops, desktops, accessories and other products.
• Network (Connect)—to include routers, switchers, wireless, video teleconference products and more.
• Radio Equipment—handhelds, trunking systems, vehicle units and more.
• Order Level Material (OLM)—this is an unpriced line item where the agency customer can buy services and products together as long as the services don’t cost more than one-third of the total price of the contract.

The 2GIT BPAs replace the Air Force’s expiring NETCENTS-2 IT products contracts, which the service awarded in 2015 to 17 companies at a ceiling of $5.8 billion. GovWin reported in 2018 that the Air Force spent more than $3 billion through NETCENTS in the first three years. Bloomberg Government said as of October 2018, six large businesses have won $669 million and the Air Force awarded $2.4 billion to 18 small business. The top incumbents include Sterling Computers Corp. ($469 million), CDW Corp. ($428 million) and Iron Bow Technologies LLC ($393 million).

The two-year effort didn’t go off without a hitch and still could face protests by unsuccessful bidders.

One vendor submitted a pre-award protest claiming 2GIT violated the Small Business Jobs Act. The Government Accountability Office denied and dismissed the complaint in part in July, saying GSA was not required to conduct a small business impact analysis so it didn’t violate the law, and there is no requirement to set-aside some of the BPA awards.

GSA says 2GIT provides customer agencies with prices paid-data, the ability to track savings and reduced costs and administrative burdens. One big addition to the contract is the focus on supply chain risk management. GSA says vendors had to provide enterprise SCRM plans, and 2GIT requires vendors ensure they have processes and reporting in place to reduce the risk of compromise throughout the supply chain.

Additionally, GSA says it will be able to add new, innovative, and emerging IT products through GSA’s FASt Lane modification process.

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