Industry pressure forces NASA to press pause on SEWP VI

On November 6, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) VI Industry Day, led by Joanne Woytek and Andrea Ross, who offered valuable guidance for potential SEWP VI contractors.

Key Takeaways from Industry Day

• The SEWP team has received an unprecedented volume of questions and is doing its best to answer them and prepare SEWP VI Amendment 8 as soon as possible, which will be posted first on SAM.gov and then on the SEWP website.
• There will be no structural changes to the SEWP VI request for proposal (RFP) in Amendment 8 or other forthcoming amendments. 
• NASA will conduct another Q&A period after Amendment 8 and then release Amendment 9.
• You can expect Amendment 8 to clarify Mentor-Protégé issues, small business plans, the proposal format, file naming conventions, and exhibit requirements.
• There is no specific timeline or due date for SEWP VI RFP release; however, the SEWP team is working diligently to advance the RFP and promised the proposal would not be due January 2, 2025.

Action Items Once Amendment 8 is Released

• Read Amendment 8 carefully.
• Submit questions only through the Q&A tool once it’s opened.
• Review the NAICS code and business size selection for the proposal.
• Verify past performance questionnaires you submitted are compliant with Amendment 8 requirements.
• Check for Amendment 8 updates on the JV/Mentor-Protégé guidance and small business subcontracting plan requirements to verify their compliance.
• Verify compliance with all changes to the RFP instructions for submission.
• Monitor SAM.gov and the SEWP website for the release of additional questions and Amendment 9.

Conclusions

The SEWP VI procurement represents a significant opportunity for IT contractors in the federal marketplace. The program’s emphasis on clarity, flexibility, and fair competition demonstrates NASA’s commitment to creating an effective and efficient procurement vehicle for the next generation of federal IT solutions.

Potential offerors should focus on thoroughly understanding the RFP requirements and upcoming amendment changes rather than searching for hidden meanings or complicated interpretations. The SEWP team’s message was clear: success in this procurement will come from careful attention to stated requirements and clear demonstration of capabilities rather than creative interpretation of the solicitation.

By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube^(TM).