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8(a) STARS III
Contract basics
- Contract type: Small business 8(a) set-aside GWAC
- Order types: Fixed price, time and materials, labor-hour, hybrid
- Eligible users: Federal agencies incl. Department of Defense
- Ceiling: $50B
- Period of performance: July 2, 2021 to July 1, 2026. Task order performance may continue for five years beyond the end of the ordering period (July 1, 2031). An available option to extend the ordering period through July 1, 2029, would allow task order performance through July 1, 2034.
- NAICS: primary NAICS 541512; other in-scope NAICS include 541511, 541513, 541519 and 518210
For more information view the 8(a) STARS overview video or brochure.
Features and benefits
Our Best in Class 8(a) STARS III Governmentwide Acquisition Contract provides flexible access to IT services and customized IT services-based solutions from a large, diverse pool of 8(a) industry partners. The contract supports requirements inside and outside of the continental United States.
8(a) STARS III:
- Expands capabilities for emerging technologies.
- Allows sole source orders up to the 8(a) competitive threshold.
- Features limited protestability up to $10M.
- Offers access to expert guidance, free scope review services, and market research.
Scope
8(a) STARS III supports IT services and IT services-based solutions including:
- Data management
- Information and communications technology
- IT operations and maintenance
- IT security/cybersecurity
- Software development
- Systems design
IT services-based solutions may include work that on its own might not be considered IT, provided the work is integral and necessary to the IT-services-based solution. That work is characterized as “Ancillary Support,” and can include can include non-IT services/labor as well as IT equipment (server racks, mounts, etc.) and software.
Please review section C (especially C.3) of the 8(a) STARS III Contract [PDF - 719 KB] [PDF - 710 KB] for a complete discussion of ancillary support, contract scope, pricing, applicable Federal Acquisition Regulations and more.
We offer free scope compatibility reviews, which is a unique benefit of working with GSA that can help reduce the risk of protest. To request a GWAC scope compatibility review, email SOWreview@gsa.gov with your supporting documentation (i.e. PWS/SOW/SOO). Please identify which contract(s) you are seeking review for, IGCE, percentages of IT services/non-IT services/product, NAICS code, contract type, performance period, anticipated award date and contracting officer contact information.
News, events, and training
All members of the acquisition team are encouraged to attend 8(a) STARS III Delegation of Procurement Authority training. DPA training is required for contracting officers prior to placing task orders on the contract, and is available in several formats including live webinars or a review of the contract ordering guide [PDF - 1 MB].
Buying through STARS III
- Learn how to use our GWACs, including completing required DPA training.
- Read the 8(a) STARS III Ordering Guide [PDF - 1 MB] [PDF - 1 MB], which defines roles and responsibilities for the ordering process and provides instructions for using 8(a) STARS III (subject to change).
- Upon award or modification of an 8(a) STARS III GWAC task order, COs are required to submit an award/modification form [DOCX - 45 KB] with supporting documentation (i.e. SF1449, SF30, SOW, PWS) to s3@GSA.gov.
- Issue task orders directly using your agency’s contracting personnel, or work with Assisted Acquisition Services for additional support.
- Agencies may award task orders at or under the competitive threshold on a sole source basis per Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637 and FAR 19.8).
- The current sole source threshold is $5.5M over the life of a task order. FAR 19.808-1 and 13 CFR 124.506(b)(2) address additional provisions for Alaskan Native Corporation (ANC), Native Hawaiian Owned (NHO) or Tribally Owned (TO) vendors. The contracting officer must justify and seek appropriate approval of a sole source order to an ANC or TO vendor if it exceeds:
- $25M threshold for civilian agencies to an ANC or TO vendor.
- $100M threshold for defense agencies to an ANC, NHO or TO vendor.
- Per section G.13 of the 8(a) STARS III contract, offer and acceptance is required for each sole source order in accordance with FAR 19.804-6. Use the SBA Offer Letter [DOCX - 19 KB] template when drafting your sole-source offer for Small Business Administration review. The list of SBA District Offices provides email and phone contacts for SBA’s district offices (current as of 12/5/2023).
- The current sole source threshold is $5.5M over the life of a task order. FAR 19.808-1 and 13 CFR 124.506(b)(2) address additional provisions for Alaskan Native Corporation (ANC), Native Hawaiian Owned (NHO) or Tribally Owned (TO) vendors. The contracting officer must justify and seek appropriate approval of a sole source order to an ANC or TO vendor if it exceeds:
Need IT products and services for state and local governments? Try Multiple Award Schedule’s IT Category.
Industry partners
The 8(a) STARS III Industry Partner Spreadsheet [XLSX - 188 KB [XLSX - 186 KB] provides contact information for each contract holder. Alternatively, you may email all of the industry partners using stars3awardees@gsa.gov.
All contract holders must be provided a fair opportunity to be considered for all orders in accordance with FAR 16.505, unless an exception applies. We recommend issuing solicitations through eBuy to meet fair opportunity requirements. Exceptions may include an urgent need, only one capable awardee, a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, or most commonly used under 8(a) STARS III: expressly authorized by statute. The full list of exceptions is in FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i).
Pricing
Refer to FAR 15.4 and apply the proposal analysis techniques from FAR 15.404-1 befitting the acquisition plan for your order. If you provide for adequate price competition for competed orders, generally you do not need any more price or cost detail to determine pricing resulting from a competition from comparable offerors for the same requirements to be fair and reasonable.
Use our self-service 8(a) STARS III Pricing Tool to quickly perform market research to make better business decisions:
- View maximum labor hour ceiling rates for 8(a) STARS III industry partners.
- Filter search results by scope or scope sub-area, industry partner, labor category, work site (government or contractor), and contract year.
- Select price statistics.
- Download results to Excel and save/print.
The maximum hourly labor rates in the 8(a) STARS III Pricing Tool:
- Include all direct and indirect costs (e.g. profit, fringe benefits, salary, indirect rates) for work performed in the continental United States and non-foreign work areas. See section B.12 of the contract for pricing work in foreign work areas.
- Apply to work which includes U.S. Government personnel or facility security clearances up to the Secret level.
- Apply only to time and materials and labor-hour orders.
- Do not include the contract access fee. A separate CAF CLIN is required per section B.8 of the contract.
Labor rates
The description for each 8(a) STARS III labor category are in attachment J-2 of the contract [PDF - 710 KB]; locality differentials for work performed outside the Washington-Baltimore-
The Department of State’s quarterly reports can help you price work performed outside the US, including cost of living, per diem rate maximums, quarters allowances, hardship differentials, and danger pay allowances.
Subcontracting opportunities
While 8(a) STARS III is fully awarded, we encourage companies to consider subcontracting arrangements with any of our 8(a) STARS III Industry Partners [XLSX - 186 KB].
Acquisition.gov features Agency Procurement Recurring Forecasts which may assist in identifying future opportunities.