Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ID/IQ contract?

An ID/IQ contract is a contract between a federal government agency and a contractor for the indefinite delivery of an indefinite quantity of services. Timing and delivery of the services is determined through agency completion of an individual task order or individual delivery orders. A single ID/IQ contract may be used by a number of federal organizations.

What is a GWAC?

GWAC stands for Governmentwide Acquisition Contract. The advantage of a GWAC contract is that the agency that signs the contract centralizes the contract administration for all participating agencies. This is faster, less costly and more convenient than having each contracting organization issue its own contract.

What should I look for in considering SAIC as a contractor?

There may be a number of companies that can provide you products or services. SAIC offers the following advantages:

• Experience with ID/IQ and GWAC contracts. SAIC has a long track record managing ID/IQ programs.

• A long history of successful service to government. For four decades, SAIC has been performing contract work for agencies of the federal government.

• Industry credentials. Several SAIC organizations have achieved SEI CMMI Maturity Level 5, or other various CMMI maturity level achievements.

• Motivated employees. SAIC has traditionally awarded stock to employees whose work directly benefits our customers.

• High ethical and moral standards. SAIC maintains the highest possible standards of company and employee conduct, adhering to the spirit and the letter of our country's laws and the contract agreements we sign.

How do I issue a task order?

ID/IQ contracts were created to simplify and speed up the procurement process, but specific task order procedures depend on the contract you access. Some permit you to order directly from SAIC while others require you to route your task order through the sponsoring agencies contract office. Some contracts require competition between contractors, while others make exceptions (see the next question on "Fair Opportunity To Be Considered.")

Many contracts require you to complete a statement of work (SOW) and related documents as part of the task order process. SAIC can help you complete that paperwork.

What is the "Fair Opportunity To Be Considered?"

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), Federal Acquisition Reform Act (FARA) and Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA) require that prime contractors be given a "fair opportunity to be considered" for task order awards when multiple prime contractors are chosen for an overall contract. In reality, you are required to practice "maximum practicable competition," which means soliciting only as many proposals as reasonably needed to conduct meaningful discussions and make a decision.

In addition, some ID/IQ contracts will permit exceptions to the fair opportunity rules. For example, you may be able to show that your agency's need for services is extremely urgent and that submitting a series of competitive task order proposals would create unacceptable delays. Another exception might be a single contractor being able to provide a specialized level of quality or a unique or proprietary approach to solving your problem. Another possibility might be if a task order were a logical follow-up to previous task orders issued under the same contract and you had followed the "fair opportunity to compete" rules when awarding the original task order. SAIC would be happy to review your competitive requirements with you.

How much are program management fees?

Program management fees are charged by the sponsoring agency for administering your task order. The fee is usually a percentage of the value of the task order. Sometimes a minimum fee is charged, sometimes fees are tiered according to the amount of assistance required, and sometimes there is no fee.

Administration fees for contractors vary, but are generally between three and four percent of the value of the task order. Sometimes these costs are built into the company's labor rates or product costs, or they may be billed separately. SAIC's fees are competitive and reasonable and are not a reason for deciding whether to choose the company as a contractor.

What is a technical proposal?

Just as agencies are often required to complete a "scope of work," most ID/IQ contracts require contractors to complete a technical proposal covering their proposed approach to the requirements of the task order, including logistics, hardware, software and teaming arrangements. Contractors must also list their potential conflicts of interest. Proposals can be presented in written form, orally, or both, depending on the task.

What is a cost proposal?

The cost proposal includes a broad scope of activity, including staffing, labor hours and labor categories, direct costs, timetable, government-furnished property and equipment, security clearances, warranties and other types of information related to performance on the project.