Name: Winning Government Cost Proposals Including AI Essentials
Start: 2025-04-21T13:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-23T16:00:00-04:00
Location: OST Global Solutions Virtual Classroom

The next generation of the Chief Information Officer – Commodities and Solutions (CIO-CS) contract, now known as The Store, is a Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) managed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), with a ceiling of $25 billion.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) for this recompete is expected to be released in early summer 2024, with proposals due in late summer 2024. The evaluation and award process is anticipated to take place through fall and winter 2024, with award announcements scheduled for February 2025, and the performance period starts on April 22, 2025

The exact number of awards for the CIO-CS (The Store) has not been specified, but the current contract has 80 contract holders. The upcoming competition for The Store will be available to a broad range of qualified contractors, including small businesses.

The Store’s Scope: The scope of the contract is designed to provide a comprehensive range of IT commodities and solutions to federal agencies. It includes the procurement of hardware, software, cybersecurity solutions, cloud services, and health IT. The contract is structured to facilitate the rapid and efficient acquisition of IT resources to support various federal initiatives and mandates, such as Zero Trust, FedRAMP, and the Cloud First policy.

The Store is available to all federal agencies, including civilian and Department of Defense (DoD) entities. It supports the full spectrum of IT needs across the federal government, with particular emphasis on agencies involved in healthcare and biomedical research, such as the NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services.

This contract is essentially a one-stop-shop for federal agencies providing streamlined acquisitions for IT commodities and associated services. This includes procurement models that cater to both on-premises and cloud-based deployments, aligning with federal policies and mandates for IT modernization and cybersecurity.

The proposal effort for the upcoming iteration of the CIO-CS contract, “The Store,” will be substantial, requiring detailed preparation and strategic planning. Here are some key aspects of the anticipated proposal effort:

Proposal Development Timeline: The RFP is expected to be released in early summer 2024, with proposals due by late summer 2024. The evaluation and award process will take place through fall and winter 2024, with the final awards announced in February 2025. Responding to the RFP will require thorough documentation to demonstrate capability and compliance with technical, past performance, and pricing requirements. Contractors must ensure their proposals align with the federal mandates such as Zero Trust, FedRAMP, and Cloud First.

Technical Capabilities: Proposers will need to showcase their technical capabilities across various IT domains, including cybersecurity, cloud computing, enterprise software, and health IT solutions. This involves detailing specific product offerings, deployment strategies, and support services.

Small Business Participation: The contract emphasizes the inclusion of small businesses. Therefore, small business Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and should be prepared to highlight their contributions and capabilities within the proposal.

Strategic Planning: The proposal process will require strategic planning, including the development of win themes, competitive analysis, and the assembly of a strong proposal team. Contractors must demonstrate a clear understanding of the federal IT landscape and how their solutions meet the government’s needs.

“The Store,” represents a significant opportunity for IT vendors to provide a broad range of solutions to federal agencies. The proposal effort will be demanding, requiring comprehensive documentation, strategic planning, and a clear demonstration of technical capabilities and compliance with federal mandates. By preparing thoroughly and aligning their offerings with the contract’s requirements, vendors can position themselves for success in this substantial and competitive procurement process.

How OST Global Solutions Can Assist:

With The Store’s final RFP release imminent, now is the time to create your strategic approach to secure your spot on this strategic GWAC. OST Global Solutions can assist your organization to successfully compete within this highly competitive landscape. Here’s how we can help:

Capture Support and Strategic Bid Planning: Align your business strategies with the broad scope of The Store, ensuring your proposals meet NITAAC’s evolving requirements.
Comprehensive Proposal Support: From drafting to submission, leverage our expertise in managing proposals for large-scale government contracts like The Store.
Insight and Analysis: Use our in-depth analysis of the contracting environment to position your offer effectively within the competitive framework of The Store.

Schedule Your Strategy Session Now

OST Global Solutions is a professional business development consulting firm. We have extensive experience in winning large, strategic bids. We can provide capture and proposal teams to develop a complete, winning proposal. Or we can provide consultants on a case-by-case basis to fill gaps on your business development team. Our services consist of team identification/negotiation, capture management, win strategy consulting, proposal management, pricing, color reviews, proposal writing, editing, and desktop publishing.

We look forward to helping you succeed in your CIO-CS proposal efforts.

Schedule a Call

service@ostglobalsolutions.com

(301) 384-3350