GSA BIC MAC and the Future of GWACS

BIC MAC goes by many names: BIG MAC, Next Generation Services IDIQ, and OASIS 2. GSA has not yet settled on an official contract name. Therefore, RWCO refers to all of these names under the single name BIC MAC to ensure clarity. 

Like its cousin POLARIS, BIC MAC is among the most “Googled” government-wide acquisition contracts (GWAC) on the planet. With the primary NAICS being 541330: Engineering Services and a small business size standard of $16.5M, the GWAC has an expected $35 billion ceiling. For those tracking various GWACS, POLARIS has an expected award ceiling of $15-20 Billion, roughly ½ that of BIC MAC. BIC MAC is just one of many GWACS intended to reset the Federal contracting landscape through an aggressive reconfiguration of acquisition strategy and consolidation of contract vehicles. The rationale: more procurement activity via fewer procurement vehicles. 

The Government has been sending subtle, targeted signals to industry regarding its implementation of a procurement strategy that seeks to increase the Government’s purchasing power while streamlining both the market and process of federal contracting.  

In its zeal for doing more with less, the GSA will eliminate several highly marketed GWACs: (a) Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS), (b) OASIS, and (c) Building Maintenance and Operations (BMO) [collectively referred to as “Legacy GWACS”]. All of these existing contracts: BMO, OASIS, and HCaTS contractors, will battle to gain a seat on the BIC MAC vehicle to ensure a pathway to bid on existing work.  

In essence, BIC MAC is a mass extinction event for three GWACS with a lifespan of multiple years. As a result, firms that spent time and money to ensure participation on these Legacy GWACs must find a way to spend more time and more money to defend work garnered off Legacy GWACs via BIC MAC.

Firms with existing vehicles in BIC MAC crosshairs should begin to build a team with other smalls that address the various NAICS in other to-be-extinct vehicles. A perfect scenario would be a team of three smalls, for instance, under the confines of a small business Joint Venture in which each member of the JV has past performance in one or more of the Legacy GWACS.

 Unlike most advisory firms that replicate the industry talking points, our analysis conducts a deep dive into the competitive impact of the procurement and the implications this GWAC strategy has on the broader industry.  

BIC MAC is a newer and broader contract than Legacy GWACS. It is clear that the vehicle intends to better meet the federal acquisition community’s procurement needs for complex services, particularly in expanding vendor NAICS code diversity and easing ordering procedures. 

However, the devil is in the details.

RWCO’s stance is that the federal marketplace will generate fewer single award contracts than in years past while the number of competitors in the “other” small business category will increase. In part, the downscaling of 8(a) into an equal footing as other small business categories means that – for the most part – the procurement advantages historically experienced by 8(a) firms are going to be diluted considerably. Case examples are already visible, and larger GWACS implement this market categorization (ex: Polaris). BIC MAC is no different.

Consider that, despite the broad scope of the GWAC, the GSA has stated that “BIC MAC” is not intended to be an entry-level contract. As a result, businesses of all types may be boxed out from competing for a seat on the emerging GWAC; organizations with little government experience may not qualify, given the past performance requirements.