The Department of Homeland Security has released a solicitation for the potential 10-year, $10 billion FirstSource III contract for information technology hardware, software, value-added reseller and IT managed services.
FirstSource III is a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract and a total small business set-aside program with five set-aside tracks for 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, women-owned and all small businesses, according to a notice posted Tuesday on the beta SAM website.
The IDIQ contract has IT value-added reseller and software as its two functional categories and DHS will carry out the solicitation in two phases for ITVAR and software categories.
Phase I proposals are due May 12 and will be evaluated based on the vendorâs ability to perform the work and supply chain risk management approach. DHS will issue an advisory downselect notice to companies by mid-June and Phase II proposals will be due later that month.
ITVAR includes all commercial off-the-shelf IT hardware and equipment, including small form factor, static, domain, virtual desktop infrastructure and peripheral devices, while the software category covers any software licenses, products and technical support like updates and patches.
FirstSource III has a five-year base ordering period and two optional ordering terms, including one three years in duration and a period of two years.
DHS will hold a preproposal conference on April 26 and interested stakeholders should register no later than April 22. The department will accept questions on FirstSource III by April 27 with plans to award the contract by September.
The solicitation came five months after DHS sought industry feedback on a draft request for proposals for the FirstSource III program.
