U.S. General Services Administration
GSA Releases 8(a) STARS III GWAC Request for Proposals
New STARS GWAC will have $50 billion ceiling and focus on emerging technologies
WASHINGTON — The U.S. General Services Administration issued the solicitation for the 8(a) STARS III Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). The 8(a) STARS program is known governmentwide as a best-in-class, easy-to-use, and streamlined procurement solution to purchase information technology services from 8(a) prime contractors. This fourth-generation GWAC will include a greater focus on emerging technologies as well as performance outside of the continental United States (OCONUS). The STARS III contract ceiling will be $50 billion.
“I am very proud of GSA’s work in developing the STARS III GWAC with a contract ceiling of $50 billion, more than twice the size of STARS II,” said GSA Administrator Emily Murphy. “STARS III continues GSA’s legacy of creating opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses while helping federal agencies accomplish information technology (IT) missions.”
“We are excited to expand the scope of the STARS III GWAC to cover OCONUS performance and address emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and virtual reality,” said Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Julie Dunne. “STARS III will increase opportunities for hundreds of 8(a) companies at a time when we’re heavily relying on their expertise to modernize the federal government’s IT infrastructure and improve virtual service delivery for citizens and employees in the U.S. and abroad.”
“Over the last nine years, the 8(a) STARS II GWAC has successfully leveled the playing field for hundreds of small disadvantaged IT contractors in the 8(a) Business Development Program. Through this vehicle, and the partnership of GSA and SBA, many 8(a) firms have grown and prospered while delivering essential capabilities to the federal government," said SBA Associate Administrator Dr. Donna Peebles. "A significant number of 8(a) participants have successfully graduated from the 8(a) program as a direct result of their growth from the 8(a) STARS II GWAC. The SBA looks forward to the GSA’s 8(a) STARS III as the next new opportunity for our 8(a) program participants to grow and prosper during this time of economic recovery.”
“The 8(a) STARS program has served for years as a small business accelerator into the competitive government contracting marketplace, with a significant number of prior 8(a) STARS program participants growing their business so much that we now see them thriving with the big companies on GSA’s Alliant 2 GWAC,” said GSA Office of Information Technology Category Acting Assistant Commissioner Laura Stanton.
8(a) STARS III builds upon the achievements of STARS II, and will incorporate best practices and lessons learned from GSA’s longstanding and synergistic partnership with stakeholders. STARS III will make it easier for agencies to meet socioeconomic goals through innovative solutions within specific master contract sub-areas. Its predecessor, STARS II, exceeded performance expectations, prompting GSA to raise the contract’s ceiling more than once to accommodate unprecedented demand.
GSA’s 8(a) STARS program leverages a long-standing partnership with the Small Business Administration to support 8(a) firm development and provides federal agencies a way to manage what they spend on IT services with small businesses.
STARS III supports customized IT services-based solutions which can be tailored to meet an agency’s unique mission needs, to include new and emerging technologies which may evolve over the life of the contract. There are no projects assigned for STARS III. It is being established as an option for agencies to use in meeting their IT services and IT services-based solution needs; as well as their 8(a), small disadvantaged business, and small business procurement preference goals.
Industry is encouraged to review the solicitation requirements on beta.SAM.gov and participate in pre-proposal conferences as applicable. This solicitation supersedes any prior version, including the draft solicitation issued in August 2019.
Questions from industry related to the 8(a) STARS III GWAC may be directed to S3@gsa.gov. Media inquiries should be sent to press@gsa.gov.
About GSA
The mission of the U.S. General Services Administration is to deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across the government. One of its four strategic goals is to establish GSA as the premier provider of efficient and effective acquisition solutions across the government. To learn more about GSA visit gsa.gov or join the conversation on social media at @USGSA and @GSAEmily.