Navy: Last chance for new primes on SeaPort-e
/2016 will be final rolling admissions for this version of the contract
Dahlgren, VA, November 9, 2015– In a special announcement released Sunday on the SeaPort-e website, the Navy was brief and to the point. There are no plans to add new contractors to the current program after Rolling Admissions 2016. That solicitation is expected today, with proposals due to the Government on January 21, 2016. Awards are expected in June, 2016.
The notice reads:
Rolling Admission Special Notice:
This is a special notice to inform vendors that after this Rolling Admission period, there are no plans to add new vendors to the current SeaPort-e program.
At a recent NAVAIR Small Business Roundtable event in Lexington Park, Maryland, the SeaPort-e Contracting Officer presented possible scenarios for the future of SeaPort-e. The spectrum of options ranged from a follow-on program to a return to a decentralized contracting model for services. She invited feedback from industry and the Navy contracting community on these and other alternatives.
The contracting office did confirm existing primes will still be able to add team members at any time during their award term.
Lee Griffo, President of Iona Moon said: “SeaPort-e was well-architected, but not optimally executed across Navy. We are optimistic the next iteration will address inconsistencies across commands and provide better guidance and training to vendors and the Government, while maintaining the commitment to small business utilization that has been its hallmark. There are still many opportunities between now and 2019 for prime contractors to win up-to five-year task orders, reaching well into 2024 on the current contract. I expect this to be a banner year for new primes.”
Dr. Jim Hiles, the original architect of the contract and Senior Associate with Iona Moon had this to say about the news. “SeaPort-e has been a huge success, in part because it has been as much about sensible, intuitive process and information transparency as it has been about a contract vehicle. Second generation transitions are difficult and the current multiple-award landscape is full of “flagship” contract suites that are a process mess in comparison. No doubt the time is now to take action, commit to a bid decision and get in the game on Seaport-e.”
Dr. Hiles is the author of “Winning with Past Performance: Strategies for Industry and Government,” and “Federal Contracting: 13 Steps to Increase Your CPARS Ratings.” He is working with Iona Moon to make available their combined expertise in the form of accessible educational resources and practical, effective processes to improve win performance for firms targeting the Federal sector.
