EAGLE II - Streamlining Homeland Security Acquisitions for Information Technology
These days, the homeland security mission moves fast… and acquisition lead times just do not support the speed to mission that agencies need to stay ahead of the threat. Acquiring information technology support services such as data analytics, cybersecurity, information sharing, and IT strategy and transformation must happen faster than ever before – yet bring more innovation and lower risk at the same time.
Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) are at the nexus of selecting IT providers but must wade through the complications of acquisition strategies, a myriad of contract vehicles (DHS alone has more than 60), and an over-worked acquisition workforce.
One of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) most flexible contract vehicles, and a cornerstone of the Department’s strategic sourcing strategy, is EAGLE II. It is a multiple-award IDIQ contract vehicle, the preferred source of IT services for the majority of DHS’s enterprise infrastructure and initiatives across three functional categories (FC).
FC2 includes Information Technology Program Support Services. It includes many types of projects: strategic planning, business process re-engineering (BPR)/ process improvement, IT transformation and strategy, enterprise architecture, data management, information sharing, information security, capital planning and investment control (CPIC), workforce planning, budget execution, performance management, training, enterprise resource management, organizational change management, and program management office (PMO) support. It is ideally suited for data analytics, cybersecurity, and information sharing – all major trends in IT.
The EAGLE II contract structure provides flexibility over time to meet mission and technology program schedules. Here are our lessons learned with EAGLE II:
- To get a flexible solution, use a combination of Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract line item numbers (CLINs) with optional Time and Materials CLINs for surge support or special projects
- Providing a draft RFP prior to the release of the actual task order increases the quality of proposed solutions and allows providers to identify more complete staffing solutions
- Documenting the evaluation criteria clearly in terms of the quality in technical approach, management approach, and past performance helps justify best value and allows you to select the right provider to supply the best mission results
- Use true performance-based contracting… using a Statement of Objectives and asking contractors to provide a Performance Works Statement and metrics for a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan… and, if you use FFP, include specific outcomes and deliverables and don’t treat it like T&M with a not-to-exceed
- Conduct quick market research sessions in person, organized by the small business liaisons… you can do these in 20 minutes per company!
- Include “Innovative ideas that save money and increase mission performance” as an evaluation criteria to incent unique and different ways to approach the work
EAGLE II offers you a set of pre-vetted, highly qualified prime contractors to deliver against a broad scope of IT requirements. Find out more information about EAGLE II .
