There’s a lot of Executive Orders (EOs) to keep track of in the Trump Administration so far (162 to be exact), so we don’t expect you to know every single one. But if you’re a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractor, or plan to be one soon, then you should be paying close attention to the EO Consolidating Procurement. This Executive Order, published in March 2025, aims to quadruple the size of GSA’s procurement responsibilities.
This means the federal government will direct the acquisition of most common goods and services under GSA and transition Best-In-Class (BIC) Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) to GSA. BIC GWACs currently under GSA will be used more as well. In this blog, we’re going to talk about BIC GWACs, which contracts we expect to see shift to GSA, and why we anticipate them becoming more important over the course of the next four years.
What Are BIC GWACs?
First, let’s pause to talk about Best-In-Class (BIC) Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs). What are they and what purpose do they serve in federal acquisition? Best-In-Class contracts, or BIC contracts, are determined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to be the highest performing contracts. They are popular because they reduce administrative costs, increase transparency, include pre-vetted solutions, and reduce duplication in acquisition.
GWACs are governmentwide contracts used to streamline the procurement of IT products and services. They are open to multiple federal agencies and are designed to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Put together, BIC GWACs are high performing governmentwide IT contracts that meet the metrics the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) specifically are looking for in federal acquisition. So, we can expect BIC GWACs to become more popular and widely used, especially as they are consolidated under GSA.
Best-In-Class GWAC Transition to GSA
The OMB has designated tiers for Best-In-Class (BIC) contracts, and they plan to focus on the Tier 3 BIC GWACs for now. GSA is currently working with two agencies to transition their large BIG GWACs. These are: NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V & VI contracts and the National Institute for Health’s (NIH) Chief Information Officer-Solutions Partners 3 contract (CIO-SP3). GSA will also eventually take on CIO-SP4.
GSA plans to move Contracting Officers from both NASA and NIH to complete these transitions.
NASA SEWP V & VI
NASA’s SEWP contract has been a major vehicle for several years and is now currently under NASA SEWP V. This contract has been extended through October 31 to give NASA more time to award the next iteration, NASA SEWP VI. Right now, GSA is in discussions with NASA on how they plan to take over the contracts as the program is in the midst of a transition. We expect that NASA SEWP VI awards to be delayed to mid-2026.
CIO-SP3 & CIO-SP4
The NIH’s CIO-SP3 contract has been extended through April 2026 and CIO-SP4 is currently at a pause, so the transition to GSA is anticipated to move a bit more slowly until NIH decides what to with CIO-SP4.
GSA BIC GWACs
There are also several GWACs that GSA already manages that we can expect to see more focus on as under this EO. These are: VETS 2, Alliant 2 (and Alliant 3), GSA OASIS+, and 8(a) STARS III.
VETS 2
VETS 2 is the only BIC GWAC that is set-aside exclusively for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). This contract includes IT services such as data management, IT security, software development, emerging technologies, etc. Last year, GSA increased the contract ceiling by $1.1 billion, making the Total Ceiling Value up to $6.1 billion. We expect to see more emphasis on this vehicle as the Trump Administration has increased spending in these areas to fulfill Department of Defense (DoD) missions.
Alliant 2 and 3
Alliant 2 is a Best-In-Class GWAC for AI, distributed ledger technology, robotic process automation, and other emerging tech. Alliant 2’s ceiling was increased late last year by $7.5 billion, totaling $82.5 billion. GSA is currently working on the Alliant 3 solicitation, so awards can go out before the period of performance ends on Alliant 2. The Alliant 3 proposal submission was due in April 2025, but we expect to see more on-ramps in the future. The Trump Administration that AI advancement is a key and urgent focus, so we can definitely expect to see increased spending with these vehicles.
8(a) STARS III
8(a) STARS III is a small business set-aside BIC GWAC for IT services and customized IT services-based solutions. 8(a) STARS is reserved for 8(a) small disadvantaged businesses only. Right now, the vehicle is closed, but there could be on-ramps in the future, or another iteration of the vehicle when this period of performance ends. If you are currently an 8(a) STARS III contractor, we expect to see more business flow through here as federal agencies are directed to use GSA and GWACs for their needs.
OASIS+
OASIS+ is a professional services contract vehicle within GSA’s Office of Professional Services and Human Capital Categories (PSHC). OASIS+ is a Best-In-Class Multiple Award Contract (MAC) vehicle, but is not technically considered a GWAC. However, this vehicle is very relevant right now because GSA just released a Request for Information (RFI) last week looking to start Phase II of the vehicle. This would add five additional domains to the contract. We don’t have an exact date of when Phase II would begin, but the RFI responses are due July 8, 2025.
MAS Program to Grow Under EO Consolidating Procurement
You may not have known this, but the GSA Multiple Award Schedule Program is considered a Tier 2 Best-In-Class vehicle. In the Trump Administration’s Executive Order to condense procurement, it directs many federal agencies to start using the MAS Program for common goods and services, as we mentioned earlier in this blog.
The MAS Program was already a popular contract vehicle with over $51 billion in FY2024, but we can expect it to quadruple in size over the next few years as GSA takes on more acquisition, even with the budget cuts. There will inevitably be political pressure on federal buyers to use more Tier 2 and Tier 3 contracts administered by GSA.
The goal is to eliminate inefficiencies by simplifying processes and that’s the mission of the MAS Program. It does also mean however, that GSA is cracking down on contractors who are not meeting their minimum sales requirement or complying with the terms and conditions of their GSA Schedules.
Preparing for Future Opportunities
As you can see, there’s going to be a lot of action and change within GSA over the next few years. Are you ready to take it on? If you already have a GSA Schedule, we suggest you focus on contract maintenance, and keep an eye on future BIC GWAC opportunities. If you are interested in getting a GSA Schedule, we suggest you start sooner rather than later. With all the transformation in GSA and the employee cuts, there will be longer wait times.
Whatever your plan is, we’re here to help with it all. Contact us today for support with GSA Schedule acquisition and GSA Schedule management.
