NASA grinds its way through SEWP VI questions

NASA has released a fifth batch of questions and answers involving the $60 billion SEWP VI procurement.

We won’t jump into the substance of every question and answer, but it is worth nothing that NASA has been asked and has answered 4,604 questions across five batches of Q&A since the first went out on Oct. 11.

The volume of questions caused the agency to slow down the procurement in August so it could process the questions.

NASA said it will release more Q&A “in the near future,” according to NASA's newest notice posted Wednesday.

“If you do not see your comment published, please do not email. All comments received will be responded to in time,” NASA says in the notice.

So, what are people asking for? A lot of the questions are asking for clarifications on several items and particularly about NAICS codes.

One person asked about using the Arial Narrow font in graphics instead of Times New Roman. NASA's answer is that other fonts are fine as long as they are “no smaller than 10-point type Times New Roman font."

NASA is listening as many of the answers reference amendments to the SEWP VI solicitation in response to comments and questions.

During our Dec. 6 Power Breakfast on GWACs, NASA SEWP program director Joanne Woytek couldn’t say when the agency could award SEWP VI. NASA is still issuing amendments and there have been nine so far.

But NASA will include a timeline for awards in the final amendment, whenever it publishes.

Woytek said she didn’t expect any of the amendments to change the substance of SEWP VI.

The contract will be different than the current SEWP V, namely around standalone services.

Woytek said that NASA drove this change because the agency wanted to use its own vehicle to buy services, rather than use other GWACs or create standalone contracts for services.