For Total Solutions, It’s CIO-SP2i

By Jeff Erlichman

CIO-SP2i is a total solution GWAC with 9 task areas covering the gamut of IT services.

Answering customer questions quickly and correctly is what the NITAAC/CIO-SP2i customer service team does every business day.

“We can walk a customer through our website and provide them with sample templates to put together their required documentation,” said Donald Wilson, CIO-SP2i Senior Contracting Officer in an interview with 1105 Government Information Group Custom Media.

“We help them throughout the process; even having an internal team that makes sure their SOW is within the scope of the contract.”

Wilson describes CIO-SP2i as a “total solution contract, with 9 task areas.” There are 44 partners on the contract and 86% of them have received an award. The goal is 100%.

“We help support small business initiative through the electronic contract reporting system, which we modified to include ARRA,” noted Wilson. “So any customer that has ARRA funds can participate by using the CIO-SP2i contract and we have lowered fee percentage to .5% for ARRA customers.”

Fast Turnaround

Wilson said customers can track the process of their task orders online using NITAAC’s new e-GOS web based task ordering system.  It allows customers to do RFQs and awards online as well as tracking progress of orders via email alerts.

The NITAAC team puts in a lot of effort even before a requirement gets sent to them by working with customers to make sure their task order request package is correct when reviewed.

Once the request reaches the CIO-SP2i team, it is posted to qualified vendors. “Once posting goes out, there is a minimum of 5 days,” explained Wilson. Sometimes the posting time is greater because “customers are diligent and often put flexibility in the requirements because they want the best qualified offer.”

After the posting period, the proposals then go to the customer for their evaluation and the NITAAC CO. Ideally customers want 2-3 viable bids for evaluation.

The CO makes sure in compliance with master contract. Once they get evaluation and selection from customer, the order is turned around in 24 hours. Wilson said the entire process from beginning the RFQ process to awarding the contract can be between 10 and 14 business days should the customer want to move that fast.

Process Improvements

One of the business reorganizations that will make the contract even better was recently implemented by Rob Coen, Deputy Program Manager.

“One of the business reorganizations is we are not dealing with Assisted Orders anymore,” explained Coen. “We are focusing on our GWACS and how to have the best in the government by fulfilling customer requirements quickest easiest and most cost efficient way.”

CIO support, outsourcing, IT operations and maintenance, integration services, ERP, digital government, clinical support and software development are services available on CIO-SP2i.

To assist those customers who need that service, NITAAC is actively seeking partnerships with groups such as Interior’s Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD) and the HHS Program Support Center, whose main job is doing assisted orders and contracts for other agencies in the federal government and HHS.

“We want to develop relationships with AQD, the Program Support Center and anyone who is interested to work together to offer the full range of services customers are looking for,” reiterated Coen.