NASA rethinks contract awards under latest SEWP iteration

NASA is re-evaluating the dozens of contracts it awarded under its $20 billion SEWP V contracting vehicle in response to protests.

"NASA has determined that it will undertake corrective action in regards to the multiple protests received by the agency and those before the Government Accountability Office," NASA said in an email to FCW on Nov. 14.

"NASA will re-evaluate proposals as necessary. Based on the results of this re-evaluation, NASA will make new selection decisions. Until the corrective action is complete, any awarded SEWP V contracts remain suspended,” it said.

FCW sister publication Washington Technology first reported NASA's decision.

In two flights of awards on Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, NASA awarded 73 contracts across three company-size categories for hardware, software and related services under the SEWP V government wide acquisition contract. Protests started almost as soon as the contracts were announced, with 17 companies filing across various categories.

SEWP V contracts can't move forward until the protests are resolved. NASA wanted federal agencies to be able to begin using SEWP V in November, but in October it extended SEWP IV to cover orders for an additional six months, until April 2015.

SEWP spokesperson Joanne Woytek referred comment on the contract review to NASA, which oversees the contract. Protesting companies contacted by FCW also declined comment on the action.

NASA's decision to re-evaluate the SEWP V contracts now, said Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel of the Professional Services Council, is probably an effort by the agency to bump up the formal review schedule and make SEWP V available to federal customers sooner. Without the action, he said, parts of the formal protest review cycle could drag on into mid-winter, which could push a shift to SEWP V even further into the spring.