Since 2012, 1,763 companies have invested bid-and-proposal dollars and their staff’s precious time to win entry into the Navy’s SeaPort-e multiple-award IDIQ contract—and for good reason. On an annual basis, SeaPort-e generates roughly $5 billion in professional services work. Even a sliver of that $5 billion pie can make a world of difference to a growing company. On top of the financial gains, successfully completing SeaPort-e task orders (TOs) is a great way to build a positive past performance record.
There’s just one problem.
To date, the vast majority of those 1,763 companies who made it onto the SeaPort-e IDIQ vehicle—i.e. 1,569, or 89%, of them—have made ZERO return on their investment beyond the $2,501 minimum guarantee consolation prize that every SeaPort-e contractor receives.
Why Are 89% of SeaPort-e Contractors Missing out?
The problem isn’t a lack of opportunity. Government buyers placed 1,122 orders through SeaPort-e worth a whopping $17.7 billion between 2012 and February 5, 2016. So what’s the problem for the nearly 90% of contractors not getting new business through SeaPort-e? It all boils down to a lack of pipeline analysis, business development, and IDIQ know-how.
When requests for proposals for task orders valued between $1 million and $50 million appear on the SeaPort-e portal, companies may have just 11 to 24 working days to gate the opportunity, assign capture resources, pull together a management approach, develop a staffing plan, put together a pricing strategy, and submit an offer. If the first time you’re seeing an opportunity is two to four weeks before your proposal’s due, odds are high that you’re going to lose.
Time’s Running out to Start Making a Return on Your SeaPort-e Investment
This contract’s ordering period ends in April 2019—just three years from now. That may seem like a fair amount of time, but it’s not. The last chance for new companies to join SeaPort-eclosed 2/3/16. Awardees will be selected by June 2016—just in time for the fourth quarter of the Government’s fiscal year and SeaPort-e’s busiest season. Keep in mind that 47% of SeaPort-e TOs were awarded between July and September during each of the last 3 fiscal years.
Bottom Line: There’s NO Time to Waste
The fourth quarter of FY 2016 is five months out. If you’re not…
- analyzing the TO pipeline now,
- gating potential opportunities,
- doing legwork on customer requirements and acquisition strategy, and,
- getting your IDIQ house in order to handle the onslaught of fourth-quarter orders…
you’re likely to join the majority of SeaPort-e contract holders who have just $2,501 to show for their hard-earned efforts to get on this IDIQ.
Ready to Capitalize on the SeaPort-e IDIQ Before Time Runs out?
More than $8.6 billion in SeaPort-e orders expire in the next five quarters. Will you be one of the few companies poised to seize those opportunities… or will you just take your $2,501 consolation prize? Don’t settle; it’s not too late to win.
If you’re not sure where to start to get the most out of SeaPort-e, OST Global Solution’s IDIQ Win Center can help. It’s staffed with experts in analytics, IDIQ management, cradle-to-grave business development, and proposal writing. Send us a message or call at (301) 384-3350 to find out how our top-notch team can help you progress from being a SeaPort-e “member” to a contractor enjoying the ROI that led you to enroll in this IDIQ the first place.
Contact us to learn more.
