Small Biz Alert: DHS $3B Contract Up for Grabs Now

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) $3B Cellular Wireless Managed Services 3.0 (CWMS 3.0) contract offers a single small business offeror the opportunity to deliver cellular wireless managed services to the nation’s largest law enforcement agency. On June 20, 2025, the government issued the CWMS 3.0 draft solicitation, draft PWS, and questions template. This blog outlines the pre-request for proposal (RFP) requirements and offers guidance on developing a winning proposal. If you need assistance creating your CWMS 3.0 proposal, contact Lohfeld Consulting.

Table 1 presents an overview of the procurement details.

Table 1: CWMS 3.0 Overview

Solicitation Number	70RTAC25R00000010
Competition Type	Small Business Set-Aside
Award Type	Single Award
Solicitation Date	August 2025
Questions Due	June 30, 2025, 2PM ET
Award Date	November 2025
Value	$3B
Duration	12-month(s) base plus 9 x 12-month(s) option(s)
Contract Type	Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity, Time and Materials, Labor Hour
NAICS Code	517121
Place of Performance	Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS)
Opp ID	244497
Sam Notice ID	70RTAC25R00000010

Requirements Overview

The solicitation lists both mandatory and optional services. All offerors must address the following mandatory core services:  

• Program Management
• Performance Management
• Telecommunications Expense Management
• Management Portal
• Service Desk Support
• Transition Services

Offerors may also address the following optional services:

• Cellular and Satellite Wireless Devices, Accessories, Licenses, and Services
• Mobile Device Management
• Labor Support
• In-Building Cellular Enhancement Services

Proposal Format Guidelines

Proposals will be submitted electronically to the government. Table 2 provides an overview of the proposal organization and page limits.

Table 2: Section L Proposal Requirements

Phase	Volume/Sections	Page Limit
Phase 1 – Written Submission (Mandatory Down-Select)	Volume 1
	Cover Sheet	2 pages
	Standard Form (SF) 1449 signed by the offeror	No page limit
	SF 30 Amendment(s) signed by the offeror, if any	No page limit
	Factor 1: Facility Clearance	1 page per vendor
	Factor 2: Commitment Letters from Carriers	No page limit
Phase 2 – Written Submission (Trade-Off)	Volume 2
	Cover Sheet	2 pages
	Technical Assumptions, if applicable	3 pages
	Key Personnel and Oral Presentation Participants’  Commitment Letter	No page limit
	Factor 3: Management Approach – Oral Presentation Slide Deck (Microsoft PowerPoint)	20 slides
	Factor 5: Past Performance	3 pages
	Volume 3
	Cover Sheet	2 pages
	SF 30 Amendment(s) signed by the offeror, if any	No page limit
	Provisions with required fill-ins	No page limit
	Price Assumptions, if applicable	3 pages
	Factor 6: Price	No page limit
Phase 2 Continued – Oral Presentation	Oral Presentation for Factor 3: Management Approach; and Factor 4: Web Portal Capability	90-minute presentation

Please note: Factor 4 is a demonstration of the web portal capability and will be presented live.

Objectives

The key objectives are to reduce costs, achieve efficiencies, ensure government visibility and oversight, and provide secure, reliable, and up-to-date cellular wireless services across the agency.  The contractor will manage decentralized ordering and asset control across DHS, both CONUS and OCONUS.

This contract requires service-level agreements (SLAs) for logistics, service desk performance, portal availability, and overall responsiveness. Regulatory compliance, such as FedRAMP authorization, Section 508, and NIST guidelines, is mandatory throughout the contract. 

Section M Requirements

Proposals will be evaluated using a two-phase process. Phase 1 will be assessed as Pass/Fail and includes commitments from vendors as well as validation that the offeror has a top-secret facility clearance. Offerors who pass Phase 1 will be invited to submit additional proposal information in Phase 2. Phase 2  will be evaluated on a trade-off basis.   

Hints to Offerors

Prepare Now for the Oral Presentation

Don’t wait until you find out the results of the down selection to begin preparing for the oral presentation. The PowerPoint presentation should be clear, concise, and consistent; use visual aids to illustrate complex processes where possible. The oral presentation forms the basis of scoring the Management Approach and Web Portal Capability. Begin preparations now by following the recommendations below:

• Script the demonstration.
• Set up the demo environment early and ensure it meets all requirements in Section 2.4, Factor 4: Web Portal Capability.
• In addition to assigning the presenter, assign a technical support person in case of connectivity issues.
• Conduct multiple dry runs to ensure smooth handoffs, comprehensive coverage of requirements, and adherence to time limits.
• Have internal and external subject matter experts simulate government evaluators and provide critical feedback on clarity, completeness, and compliance.
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

How to Win

• Exceed Baseline SOW Requirements: Emphasize value-added technological features such as automation in asset control, invoicing, and optimization analytics that exceed baseline statement of work (SOW) requirements.
• Use Proof Points: Detail how you will achieve cost reduction and efficiencies, providing proof points from past accomplishments.                                                                               
• Demonstrate Optional Services: Showcase your ability to provide optional services, such as cellular and satellite wireless devices, accessories, and licenses. Explain how these services could be leveraged to improve program outcomes.
• Use Graphics: Use graphics to convey concepts by transforming data into clear and visually compelling representations. 

Conclusion

As DHS works to modernize and streamline its wireless services, there’s a real need for fresh, innovative approaches. This opportunity gives small businesses a chance to showcase their agility, expertise, and value in support of critical government missions and expand their presence in the federal market. Let Lohfeld Consulting guide you with expert proposal management, oral presentation coaching, and graphic support to help your team succeed!

Relevant Information

• How to Describe Innovation in Proposals

• Ultimate Preparation: Proactive Steps for Proposal Readiness

• VIDEO: Strength-Based Winning®: Mastering Federal Contract Proposals

By Dana Katalinas, Vice President, APMP Member, GPA Member

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).