The following is a cursory, high-level review of the STARS III solicitation (opportunity)

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To receive a copy of Rainmaker GPS's STARS III Analysis

or to Confirm that Your Firm Qualifies for a STARS III Contract Award (based upon current solicitation draft),

go to Analysis Request

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STARS III Overview - from Draft Solicitation

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The 8(a) Streamlined Technology Application Resource for Services (STARS) III Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) a/k/a STARS III:

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• A Multiple Award, Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (MA-IDIQ) contract

• A Master Contract award reserved exclusively for qualifying Small Business Administration (SBA) certified 8(a) prime contractors with competitive prices

  • Company must be a current 8(a) at the time of submission​ (also defined as the Solicitation Closing Date)

• Created to provide Information Technology (IT) services and IT service-based solutions

• Requires demonstration of a contractor's technical proficiency 

• Requires competitive pricing (Ceiling Rates) for 141 labor categories for 13 years (Contractor Site and Government Site pricing)

• Allows for subcontracting and teaming at the Master Contract level - but is highly restrictive

• Allows for joint ventures to capitalize on individual company's experience and past performance - but the JV structure is highly restrictive and must be assembled/created correctly to qualify
• A Dun &Bradstreet Open Ratings report is not required to demonstrate quality of past performance
• Requires the submission of Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) when available
• Requires the submission of an acceptable Uncompensated Overtime policy
• Requires the submission of an acceptable Total Compensation Plan
• Requires that each acceptable Relevant Experience/Past Performance example have a minimum of one (1) year of performance and a total contract value of $1,000,000 (including options) - there is an allowance for completed projects to qualify without one year of performance, as long as the value exceeds $1 million

 

Some of the Differences Between the STARS II/STARS II Open Season and the STARS III Solicitations (Draft): 

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• STARS III has increased the number of Functional Areas (FA) from four (4) to six (6) as follows:
  • FA 1 - Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
  • FA 2 - Computer Systems Design Services (541512)
  • FA 3 - Computer Facilities Management Services (541513)
  • FA 4 - Other Computer Related Services (5415191)
  • FA 5 - Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (518210) -  new FA
  • FA 6 - Emerging Technology-focused IT Services (No Designated FA) - new FA (using 541512 size standard)​
• STARS II and STARS II Open Season required: 
  • Contract Administration Plan (CAP)​
  • Marketing Action Plan (MAP)
  • STARS III does not require these documents
• STARS II and STARS II Open Season was separated into two (2) Constellations​ - STARS III is not
  • The elimination of the STARS II Constellation structure removed the requirement for an ISO 9001:2015 or CMMI Level II (or higher) credential in STARS III
• STARS III requires CPARS - STARS II did not require CPARS
• STARS III will only consider relevant experience examples that exceed $1 million and have a minimum of one (1) year of contract performance, unless a project of less than one (1) year has been completed 
• STARS II and STARS II Open Season used $100,000 as a minimum value for a relevant experience example and did not have a minimum performance requirement
• STARS III requires an electronic submission via an online GSA web portal 
• STARS II (Original STARS II) required the proposal to be submitted on a CD-R sent to the GSA Offices in Kansas City
• STARS III requires portal registration - the original STARS II (2009) did not; however, STARS II Open Season (2015) was an electronic proposal submission via the AcquServe ™ web portal
• STARS III requires the submission of both Relevant Experience and Past Performance examples - STARS II and STARS II Open Season required only Past Performance examples
• STARS II and STARS II Open Season required the offeror to submit two (2) past performance examples
• STARS III allows for one (1) to three (3) relevant experience examples, but raises the minimum dollar value for each example
• STARS III requires the submission of a Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Self-Assessment within seven (7) days of the government's request and prior to the Notice to Proceed for STARS III performance

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