Achieving procurement diversity using institutions of higher education: DISA actively cultivates a valuable, almost untapped resource to satisfy DoD it requirements - Innovative Contracting Approach - Defense Information Systems Agency, Department of Defense, United States

Program Manager, Nov-Dec, 2001 by Bervin D. Elliott, Sharon Sellers

In the Department of Defense procurement arena, the challenge for many agencies is how to meet the goals of competitively awarding sufficient contract dollars to Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), which includes approximately 500 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Minority Institutions (MI). Presidential Executive Order 12928, "Promoting Procurement with Small Businesses Owned and Controlled by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Minority Institutions," encourages DoD and federal agencies to support contracting initiatives and efforts that include obtaining services from HBCU/MI, including Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian Institutions as well as small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses.

DISA and a New Kind of Contract

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has developed and established an innovative approach that provides opportunities for MI and the small business community, and effectively and efficiently fulfills DoD information technology support services requirements.

Called the DISA Minority Institutions Technology Support Services (MITSS) Contract, it provides effective and efficient use of colleges and universities to sustain and advance DoD technology programs; and helps increase the participation of MI in defense procurements. A DISA contract award to an MI increases the DoD knowledge base in the nation's colleges as well as MI involvement in DoD procurements.

The Need Is Urgent

DoD has a continuing requirement to provide high-quality, information technology-based products and services covering a wide range of programs, systems, organizations, and people to support Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence for the Warrior (C4IFTW). To manage its complex technical infrastructure and maintain information superiority, DoD must have access to a sustaining cadre of highly skilled resources. This challenge requires DoD to cultivate extensive partnerships with industry as well as IHE to maintain advances in technology and training.

Responding to this challenge, DISA established an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for information technology (IT), telecommunications, and related services that ensures timely access to the resources of highly qualified Institutions of Higher Education, which are available to support DoD requirements upon demand. This type of contract vehicle is especially needed as DoD identifies IT support requirements, as procurement opportunities are extended to MI, and as DoD moves from the non-integrated collection of stovepipe systems and architectures to a more integrated and modem IT environment.

SOW

The Statement-of-Work (SOW) outlines the technical support and services available from this multiple award procurement provided by designated HBCU/MI. This contract is available to DISA, the Military Services, and other Defense Agencies. The baseline requirement for this procurement is for HBCU/MI, with a broad range of IT services and solutions, in areas such as: computer and communications systems, networks, software development and testing, satellites, evaluating life cycle cost, technical education and training development, and satisfying end-user technical requirements.

The overall purpose of the contract is for HBCU/MI to provide a wide range of technical support, studies, and analysis and training services. This will facilitate the migration of DoD legacy information systems, networks, and standard data into an integrated and interoperable Defense Information Infrastructure. The contractor may be tasked to provide IT and a telecommunications service for activities throughout all operating levels within DoD.

A Team Effort

The Office of the Chief Information Officer Program Manager coordinated the development of the MITSS contract and organized a team of acquisition and IT professionals to assist in the planning, developing, and coordinating of this initiative, which began in fiscal 1997. The team's major accomplishments are highlighted in the timeline shown below.

Similar in form, administration, and function to the other DISA IDIQs, the DISA MITSS contract is a multiple award IDIQ Task Order-type contract with a base year and four option years. On Dec. 10, 1999, it was awarded to 11 prime contractors -- eight HBCU, and three MI. The awardees include the following:

* Alabama A&M University, Normal, Ala.

* Florida International University, Miami, Fla.

* Hampton University, Hampton, Va.

* Langston University, Langston, Okla.

* New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.

* Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Va.

* North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C.

* Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas

* Tennessee State University Nashville, Tenn.

* University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Md.

* University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.

These prime contractors carefully selected and partnered with a diverse group consisting of large IHE and businesses, and small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses as well as other HBCU/MI. Many of the subcontractors already have active IT-related support services contracts with DISA, or successfully completed DISA contract requirements. Figure 1 shows the total representation of primes and subcontractors.