Frequently Asked Questions

The Nonmanufacturer Rule (NMR) allows small business set-asides for supply contracts when the small business manufactured the product itself, is supplying a product manufactured by another small business, or a product of any size manufacturer if SBA has granted a waiver.  
 For additional information: Nonmanufacturer rule | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov) 

There are advantages of doing one prior to the release of your solicitation, such as when you are completing your market research or when you are refining your requirements. Alternatively, there are advantages of doing one while the solicitation is open, such as when you are addressing questions or concerns from potential offerors or when you are facilitating teaming. Either time helps you generate interest from the Contract Holders and focuses attention on your requirements!

NITAAC works hard to ensure that you only engage with contract holders that can fully complete your requirement.

Yes, Industry Days are an easy way to determine if your requirement should be set aside or whether a different down-select or a different NITAAC GWAC might serve you better. 

No, industry days are available for both assisted and direct orders.

You have full control of what is covered and who attends the industry session

There is no charge for a NITAAC Virtual Industry Day.

Industry days are conducted via a virtual streaming platform.  NITAAC will provide the platform, handle all logistics and engage with qualified contract holders to attend. All you need to do is present your requirement.  You have full control of the information provided.

There are advantages to doing one prior to release of your solicitation such as market research or refining your requirements or while the solicitation is open such as addressing concerns or questions from potential offerors and facilitating teaming so you get the best possible proposals.  Either time helps you generate interest from the contract holders and focuses attention on your requirements!

We recommend your Program office including the COR and PM and anyone else who will be involved in the work.

You are in full control on the length of time. Typically they can run a few hours or could take a full day.

OMB will measure spend through the contract vehicles and agency compliance with purchasing standard configurations. Spend Through Approved Vehicles – OMB will collect transition plans from agencies as part of the February 28, 2016, Integrated Data Collection (IDC). Standard Configurations - The Memo requires the contract managers of the approved vehicles (NASA, GSA, and HHS) to report agency compliance with the requirement to purchase standard configurations. OMB will monitor compliance on a quarterly basis.

Annually, OMB, working with the WCT, will review input from users and vendors, to evaluate the performance of the approved contract vehicles. Based on these factors, the list of approved vehicles will be modified, if necessary. 

The Workstations Category Team (WCT), led by NASA and consisting of over 27 agencies, conducted extensive data analysis of the Government’s largest laptop and desktop contracts and determined that about 90% of basic laptop and desktop needs could be met through common standard configurations. The policy mandates that agencies buy one of the five standard configurations for at least 80% of basic laptop and desktop requirements, unless an exception is granted by the agency’s CIO. Non-standard requirements, such as scientific and military needs, are not subject to this policy. Furthermore, the WCT used input from these organizations to define the set of configurations and technical specifications for standard desktops and laptops, and standard upgrade options; these specs were validated by industry via a formal Request for Information issued by NASA.

The Workstation Category Team (WCT), an interagency task force, was charged with analyzing and optimizing current laptop and desktop computer acquisition practices. Based on the WCT’s review, OMB identified three critical steps to improve acquisition practices: (1) establish standard specifications that generally will suffice to meet federal agency computing needs; (2) consolidate federal contracts for laptops and desktop computers under three contracting vehicles; and (3) develop smart management practices for controlling cost and performance.

The WCT determined that approximately 80 percent of federal agencies’ computing needs could be satisfied through one of five standard specifications.

All CIO-SP3 and CIO-SP3 Small Business contract holder on-and off-site rates can be obtained by logging into e-GOS here. You can also visit the contract holder information page of each contract holder in the Contract Holder Directory.  In the Contract Holder Directory, you can select the contract holder whose rates you want to see, and click the link to their individual websites.

For FAR guidance on postaward debriefing, please see FAR 16.505(b)(6)(iii) at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/16.505.

See the policies and procedures at FAR 16.505(b)(6)  https://www.acquisition.gov/far/16.505.

The NITAAC team looks at scope, contract type, periods of performance, evaluation criteria, specificity of tasking and deliverables and the deliverable schedule. We will also note whether the SOW is performance based. NITAAC will provide suggestions for improving the SOW/PWS/SOO for all review areas as necessary, but the final decision on implementing any suggestions rests with the acquiring agency.

NITAAC follows the guidance of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) which strongly encourages, but does not mandate, the use of Performance-Based Contracting (PBC).

Yes. Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) were designed exclusively to streamline federal procurement of Information Technology (IT).

The Nonmanufacturer Rule (NMR) is an exception to the requirement that a manufacturer perform at least 50% of the cost of manufacturing the products (not including the cost of the material) under a manufacturing NAICS code

For additional information: Nonmanufacturer rule | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov) 

The customer agency would be responsible for requesting a specific waiver from the SBA under a small business set aside for which there are no small businesses who can provide the equipment, even using the non-manufacturer rule. The NIH has not obtained any waivers. A list of the current “blanket” waivers can be found on the SBA website.

Yes. The Nonmanufacturer Rule (NMR) applies to orders over $25,000 that are set aside for small businesses and provides a mechanism for VARs to offer products they do not manufacture themselves. However, the NMR requires that a small business performing under a set-aside contract/order must provide the product of a small business manufacturer unless the Small Business Administration (SBA) has granted either a waiver or an exception to the non-manufacturer rule.
For additional information: Nonmanufacturer rule | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov)