NASA SEWP VI

Vanguard is proud to announce its NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement VI (SEWP VI) contract award. This major milestone creates a new path for VMGTS to support NASA and other federal agencies seeking current information technology, communications, and audiovisual solutions and services through a NASA-managed acquisition vehicle.

NASA designed SEWP VI to help agencies address complex scientific, engineering, and enterprise technology needs while reducing administrative burden and improving access to interoperable, best-value solutions. Vanguard is proud to present this award as an expansion of our ability to help mission partners move from requirement to practical technology solution.

NASA SEWP (Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement), pronounced "soup", provides the latest Information Technology, Communication, and Audio-Visual (ITC/AV) solutions and services for all Federal Agencies and their approved contractors. Created in 1993, SEWP I was the first Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) in the federal acquisition space. Originally, the contract vehicle provided only technology products for NASA and all other agencies.

SEWP has continually evolved over the past 30 years, expanding its scope to meet the requests of its customers. The SEWP vehicle represents acquisition innovation within the Federal Government. The program is self-funded through usage fees (0.34%) and provides all Federal agencies with acquisition support, more than 50,000 orders a year.

SEWP VI is composed of three scope categories: Category A (ITC/AV Solutions), Category B (Enterprise-Wide ITC/AV Service Solutions) and Category C (Mission-Based ITC/AV Service Solutions). Vanguard holds a Category C award.

Across the vehicle as a whole, NASA SEWP VI spans three categories of information technology, communications, and audiovisual solutions. The official statement of work includes hardware and software products, cloud-based solutions, installation, integration, testing, training, maintenance, managed and shared services, consulting, engineering, custom programming, data analysis, hosting, digital government, and cybersecurity services.

The vehicle is intended for NASA-specific scientific and engineering requirements as well as broader federal-agency use. Deliverables may support government personnel, authorized contractors, principal investigators, universities operating through grants or cooperative agreements, and government-owned, contractor-operated organizations.

Vanguard Management Solutions (VMGTS) supports fair opportunity on every order placed under NASA SEWP VI. Agencies issue Requests for Quote through the SEWP Quote Request Tool, which distributes each request to every Contract Holder in the selected category, including VMGTS in Category C. VMGTS competes for each order on the merits of its quote, responds only with services within the scope of its SEWP VI contract at or below the pricing in the SEWP database of record, states the period each quote remains valid, and honors any order placed within that period. Ordering offices retain their fair-opportunity documentation; VMGTS does not request or hold it.

The governing contract language follows.

Contractors will be provided a fair opportunity at the individual order level as appropriate per FAR Part 16.505(b), including the SEWP RFQ tools. No documentation for the order selection is required to be submitted with the order. All such documentation is to be maintained by the issuing procurement office.

The Contractor shall not market, quote or otherwise offer for sale any IT Solutions not listed under this contract until the said solutions are included in the SEWP database of record and available to all Government end-users. If the Government issues a Request For Information (RFI) as part of market research, the Contractor may provide items not yet listed on their SEWP contract as part of a market research quote if all such items are clearly marked as not yet available on their SEWP contract and the contractor submits a technology refreshment request to add those products to their contract.

If the Government issues a Request For Quote (RFQ) or a Market Research Request (MRR), the Contractor may only respond with items available on their Contract, and the price of each item shall be no greater than the price in the SEWP database of record at the time the quote is issued. Unless the RFQ specifically allows for partial quotes, the Contractor must respond fully to all requirements specified in the RFQ. When submitting a quote to a government end-user, the contractor must clearly state the length of time the quote is valid and shall honor any order submitted within that period.

Source: SEWP VI contract clause A.1.13, as published in NASA's example Contract Holder website.

Agencies and their authorized contractors can request a VMGTS quote in two ways.

1. Through the SEWP Quote Request Tool (QRT) at www.sewp.nasa.gov. Select Category C and include VMGTS among the Contract Holders, or let the tool distribute the request to the full category. QRT is the program's preferred path and gives the ordering office a complete record of the request and every response.

2. Directly, by emailing jeromewilliams@vmgts.com with "SEWP VI quote request" in the subject line. Include the end-user agency and office, a description of the requirement or a statement of work, the anticipated period of performance, place of performance or delivery, the funding type if known, and the date a response is needed.

VMGTS acknowledges each request within one business day and returns a written quote by the date requested or, where no date is given, within five business days for routine requirements. Each quote states the services offered, pricing at or below the SEWP database of record, the SEWP program fee of 0.34% as a separate line, assumptions, and the period the quote remains valid. VMGTS honors any order received within that period. Requirements that fall outside the scope of VMGTS's Category C contract are identified as such in the response rather than quoted.

The internal ordering process of each Agency varies. The process and accompanying forms for Purchase Requests (PR) and Delivery Orders (DO) issued against a SEWP contract are defined by the issuing Agency, not the NASA SEWP Program Management Office (PMO). The typical process is for an end-user to determine a requirement and generate a Purchase Request.

The PR, along with any necessary funding information, is sent to that Agency's procurement office, which results in the issuance of a Delivery Order. Any valid Federal Agency DO form and the associated Delivery Order number may be used. The SEWP PMO does not issue DOs; these must be issued through the issuing Agency's procurement office. The SEWP PMO reviews, processes and tracks issued DOs and forwards them to the Contract Holder.

Some Agencies have special requirements for issuing IT Delivery Orders. It is the issuing Agency's Contracting Officer's responsibility to be aware of any Agency-specific policies regarding orders placed through an existing contract vehicle. If modifications are made to any order, those modifications must also route through the SEWP PMO. To confirm whether a requirement is within scope of SEWP VI, send an overview or bill of materials to help@sewp.nasa.gov.

NASA's statement of work requires contract holders to maintain public contract resources, program contacts, ordering guidance, quote pathways, technical specifications, and customer-support information. The SEWP Program Management Office manages contract information, validates orders, supports customers and contract holders, and maintains the official database of record for pricing and order activity.

VMGTS's SEWP VI award is a Category C services contract, so installation, warranty and support are defined by each order's statement of work or performance work statement, and the terms below apply unless the order says otherwise.

Installation and implementation. Services are performed by VMGTS personnel or approved teaming partners named in the quote, on the schedule accepted with the order, and in accordance with the ordering agency's security, access and change-control requirements. Where an order includes incidental hardware or software, VMGTS installs and configures it as part of the service and passes through the original manufacturer's warranty and license terms without reduction.

Warranty of services. VMGTS warrants that services conform to the order's requirements and are performed in a professional manner consistent with industry practice. Nonconforming work reported within the order's acceptance period is corrected at no additional cost.

Technical and post-delivery support. Each order names a VMGTS delivery lead as the first point of contact for technical questions, incidents and change requests, with the SEWP Deputy Program Manager (ehanner@vmgts.com) as the second. Support hours, response targets and escalation timelines are stated in the order; where none are stated, VMGTS supports orders Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern, excluding federal holidays, and acknowledges support requests within one business day.

Software and licensing. Where a service includes software VMGTS provides, maintenance and update entitlements run for the order's period of performance and are documented in the deliverables.

If an order, delivery or invoice does not match what was quoted, or a service is not performing as required, use the following path. Each step is intended to resolve the issue in the shortest time with a written record.

1. Contact the VMGTS delivery lead named in the order, or the quote and sales contact (jeromewilliams@vmgts.com), with the order number, the SEWP order reference, a description of the problem and the outcome needed. VMGTS acknowledges within one business day and proposes a resolution or a plan with dates.

2. If the issue is not resolved on that plan, escalate to the SEWP Deputy Program Manager (ehanner@vmgts.com). Include the prior correspondence.

3. For contractual matters, or if the issue remains open after step two, escalate to the problem-order escalation contact (cfowler@vmgts.com), who has authority to resolve the order on behalf of VMGTS.

At any point the ordering office may also contact the NASA SEWP Program Management Office, which tracks every SEWP order and assists customers and Contract Holders with problematic orders: help@sewp.nasa.gov or (301) 286-1478, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern. Modifications, cancellations and returns follow the issuing agency's procedures and route through the SEWP PMO.

The NASA SEWP Program Management Office supports agencies and Contract Holders with scope questions, quote requests through the SEWP Quote Request Tool, order processing and tracking, and help with problematic orders. Contact the program office directly for program-level questions; contact Vanguard's SEWP program management team for quotes, delivery and support on orders placed with VMGTS.

SEWP PMO hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM (Eastern).

Email: help@sewp.nasa.gov

Customer help desk: (301) 286-1478

Website: www.sewp.nasa.gov

Use approved program sources and VMGTS contract-holder materials for ordering, quotes, support, and current vehicle details.