Another opportunity is on the horizon for GSA IT contractors. GSA is in the process of creating a governmentwide Cloud Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) against the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) focusing on cloud technologies. Recently named Ascend, this contract vehicle will serve as a one-stop-shop for government customers to acquire secure cloud service offerings from GSA contractors. GSA is currently seeking advice from the private sector and they have released a draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) in anticipation of the draft solicitation. Let’s breakdown this upcoming BPA and what it could mean for you as an IT contractor.

Just like the commercial world, it’s important to periodically research what the current federal marketplace looks like and where it may be headed. Tracking federal government spending allows you know which agencies are spending the most money and what they are most interested buying. As we move through the 3rd quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, the government is gearing up for the Q4 spending spree, so it's important to take note of agencies' procurement habits and how your business can prepare. 

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a Shields Up Advisory amid growing geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia and Ukraine. In addition to the recent tensions, CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have observed regular targeting of U.S. cleared defense contractors (CDCs) by Russian-state sponsored cyber actors from January 2020 to February 2022.

Information Technology (IT) modernization in the federal government has been on the rise for several years, and there's no slowing down in sight. In fact, the White House FY 2022 Federal IT Budget request was the highest it's ever been, and included increasing the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) by $500 million, as well as improving the federal IT workforce, among other initiatives. It's safe to say that IT modernization has become a top priority in federal procurement. So why take a closer look at the top IT-North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Codes through the GSA Schedule? 

CMMC 2.0 is here—the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the revamped version of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) on November 4, 2021. CMMC, a cybersecurity compliance program for defense contractors, is intended to verify that contractors are taking the appropriate cybersecurity practices and measures. Contractors in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) have been following CMMC closely as it’s slowly being phased into notices, requirements, and solicitations.

We live in the digital era and as we have seen with the pandemic, more and more aspects of life are becoming digitized. This does not exclude our federal entities, so it’s imperative that our federal government is protected from the threats that come with the digital age. As a result, GSA created a HACS (Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services) SIN which is dedicated to preventing leaks and cyberattacks. Before an entity can obtain a HACS SIN, they must show that they are qualified to provide thorough and extensive cybersecurity. A main part of the qualification for the HACS SIN is determined by an Assessment Evaluation and Standardization (AES) High Value Asset (HVA) assessment. Let’s dive into the HVA assessment and what it entails.