Source & Authority Information
- •Federal Acquisition Regulation(accessed 2026-01-15)
- •SBA Federal Contracting(accessed 2026-01-15)
- •SAM.gov(accessed 2026-01-15)
What Makes GWACs Unique in Federal Contracting
Major GWAC Vehicles and Their Focus Areas
- Alliant 2 and Alliant 2 Small Business: Administered by GSA, these vehicles cover a broad range of IT services including systems integration, network services, application development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. Alliant 2 is one of the largest GWACs by ceiling value and number of task orders.
- 8(a) STARS III: The primary GWAC vehicle for 8(a) certified small businesses, administered by GSA. Provides IT services and solutions with strong emphasis on emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
- VETS 2: Dedicated to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, this GSA-administered vehicle provides IT services across functional areas including cloud, cybersecurity, and software development.
- CIO-SP4: Administered by NIH, the Chief Information Officer Solutions and Partners 4 contract covers IT services for health and biomedical research communities as well as general IT requirements across government.
- SEWP V: The NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement vehicle focuses primarily on IT products including hardware, software, and related services. Known for quick procurement timelines.
Benefits for Federal Agencies Using GWACs
How Task Order Competition Works on GWACs
- 1Agency identifies IT requirement
The requiring agency works with their contracting office to define the scope, develop a performance work statement or statement of work, establish evaluation criteria, and determine the appropriate task order type. Requirements must fall within the GWAC scope and IT definition.
- 2Fair opportunity notice issued
The GWAC holder receives notification of the task order competition through the contract vehicle's ordering portal. The agency must provide fair opportunity to all GWAC holders unless an exception applies, such as sole source justification for orders under certain thresholds.
- 3Contractors submit proposals
GWAC holders interested in the work prepare and submit proposals according to the instructions provided. Task order proposals are typically shorter than full competition proposals but must still demonstrate technical capability and provide pricing.
- 4Agency evaluates and selects
The agency evaluates proposals against stated criteria and selects the contractor offering the best value. Evaluation may consider technical approach, past performance, price, and other factors specified in the request.
- 5Task order awarded and work begins
The winning contractor receives a task order under the GWAC and begins performance according to the terms established. The GWAC prime contract governs overall terms while the task order specifies the particular work scope and deliverables.
Strategies for Winning GWAC Task Orders
- Monitor task order opportunities actively through GWAC portals, agency procurement forecasts, and industry intelligence sources
- Develop modular technical content that can be quickly adapted for different task order requirements
- Build past performance specifically relevant to common GWAC task order types in your target agencies
- Establish competitive labor rates that meet GWAC requirements while remaining competitive for task order selection
- Cultivate relationships with agency IT leaders and program managers to understand upcoming requirements
- Invest in clearances and certifications commonly required for GWAC task orders in your target markets
