About half of firms that obtain an 8(a) Certification outside of architecture and construction industries already have a timetable setup for obtaining a GSA Schedule. This is wise because of the strong synergies that exist between the 8(a) Certification and GSA Schedule. Many firms often overlook other GWACs and IDIQ contracts which can deprive them of strong revenue sources.

Basics
What is a GWAC? An IT Government-wide Acquisition Contract is typically an unfunded contract whereby a firm is pre-vetted for quality and pricing and allows agencies to purchase IT services from the contract while avoiding a formalized bidding process.

What is an IDIQ Contract? Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contracts; Similar to a GWAC it is limited to a single agency or group of agencies in any industry.

What is the Advantage of Using a GWAC or IDIQ Contract to the Federal Government? The government now has a manageable list of vendors that can perform the needed services which simplifies the ordering process.

Why are GWAC/IDIQ Contracts Good for 8(a) firms? Embedded in most of these contracts is language such as the following:

“a portion of contract awards will be reserved for small business and 8(a) small businesses. These reserved awards will be made to the best value offeror(s) within each reserve category, in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the solicitation.”

How does this Translate into Business Opportunities? An 8(a) firm that has the knowhow and ability to position itself to get on a key IDIQ contract will have the advantage of limited competition. For those 8(a) firms that did not obtain a place on the contract, supplying to that agency becomes more of a challenge. In many cases, a position on an IDIQ contract can be worth millions of dollars. Another advantage is that in many cases, only a handful of 8(a) firms are aware of the IDIQ contract’s existence. This can further reduce competition.

Example of an IDIQ Contract:  Federal Janitorial Services IDIQ Contract for the State of Florida. In this particular contract, the following list of locations were reserved for 8(a) certified firms only. The 8(a) firms that obtained a position on the 8(a) contract on average will pick up 4-5 sites yielding a nice piece of work for those firms.