Latest awards bring total number of Air Force NETCENTS-2 COTS computer contractors to 25

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala., 6 Nov. 2013. U.S. Air Force officials are making further expansions of their pool of information technology (IT) network-centric computer suppliers under the Network Centric Solutions-2 (NETCENTS-2) program.

Over the past seven months the number of NETCENTS-2 contractors has expanded from eight to 25. The expansion of the contractor pool is the result of protests of the original eight contract awards. All-told, 25 of the original 26 NETCENTS-2 bidders will participate in the program.

The 25 NETCENTS-2 contractors will compete with one another for periodic Air Force computer orders during the six-year duration of the NETCENTS-2 program.

NETCENTS-2 is a potential $6.9 billion six-year multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract to provide the Air Force with a primary source of network-centric and IT products, services, and solutions. Use of the NETCENTS-2 contracts is mandatory for Air Force organizations.

On Tuesday Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/HICK at the Gunter Annex at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., announced the final nine NETCENTS-2 contractors. They are:

-- Federal Network Systems LLC in Ashburn, Va.;
-- Dell Federal Systems L.P. in Round Rock, Texas;
-- Harris IT Services Corp. in Dulles,Va.;
-- Sterling Computers Corp. in Norfolk, Neb.;
-- Force 3 Inc. in Denver;
-- PCMall Inc. in Chantilly, Va.;
-- Insight Public Sector Inc. in Chantilly Va.;
-- Presidio Networked Solutions Inc. in Greenbelt Md.; and
-- FCN Inc. in Rockville Md.

The Air Force originally chose eight contractors last April to provide computer equipment and services under the NETCENTS-2 contract --- an action that drew vigorous protest from the NETCENTS-2 losing bidders. The original eight contractors are:

-- Ace Technology Partners LLC in Arlington Heights, Ill.;
-- CDW Government LLC in Vernon Hills Ill.;
-- CounterTrade Products Inc. in Arvada Colo.;
-- FedStore Corp. in Rockville Md.;
-- the General Dynamics Corp. Information Technology segment in Needham Mass.;
-- Intelligent Decisions Inc. in Ashburn Va.;
-- Iron Bow Technologies LLC in Chantilly Va.; and
-- World Wide Technology Inc. in Maryland Heights Mo.

Yet last May the Air Force advised the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) that, as necessary, it would reevaluate technical proposals with an emphasis on Trade Agreement Act compliance; amend the solicitation; hold limited discussions; issue another request for final proposal revisions; and make new contract awards.

During the re-evaluation of the technical proposals, Air Force officials decided not to amend the solicitation or issue another request for final proposals. Instead, they decided to add eight contracts based on the last proposals received prior to the initial award in April.

Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/HICK at the Gunter Annex at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., announced the next eight NETCENTS-2 contractors. They are:

-- immixTechnology Inc. in McLean, Va.;
-- M2 Technology in San Antonio, Texas;
-- Blue Tech Inc. in San Diego;
-- UNICOM Government Inc. in Herndon Va.;
-- Global Technology Resources Inc. in Denver;
-- Micro Tech in Tysons Corner, Va.;
-- Red River Computer Co. in Claremont, N.H.; and
-- Integration Technologies Group (ITG) in Falls Church, Va.

The NETCENTS-2 contract vehicle will provide for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer and networking products to support the Internet Protocol Network. Products include networking equipment, servers and storage, peripherals, multimedia, software (not included on other enterprise licenses), identity management, and biometric hardware and software.

Each NETCENTS-2 contractor will receive at least $2,500 up front. Computer and networking jobs will be competed among the 25 contractors as the Air Force needs new equipment. Originally there were 26 bidders for NETCENTS-2, Air Force officials say.

NETCENTS-2 is a set of five categories of contract capabilities spanning network-centric products, network operations and infrastructure solutions, applications services, enterprise integration and service management, and information technology professional services.

For more information contact the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center online at www.wpafb.af.mil/aflcmc.