Four integrators win $180 million DLA deal

Four systems integrators last week snared awards under the Defense Logistics Agency's Systems Engineering Technical Services program a $180 million vehicle designed to provide a range of software-related services.

DLA selected Electronic Data Systems Corp. Litton/PRC Inc. Lockheed Martin Corp. and Science Applications International Corp. for the program known as DSETS. The contractor quartet will provide such services as business process re-engineering integration prototyping systems design systems development and training. The program includes one base year and four one-year options. The contracts were awarded in less than six months the DSETS solicitation having been issued Feb. 24.

The program with its myriad services is the first vehicle of its kind for DLA according to Kevin Conneen the contracting officer at DLA. "In the past we've relied heavily on other agencies to acquire services " Conneen said. DLA for example has tapped such vehicles as the Defense Information Systems Agency's Defense Enterprise Integration Services programs and the National Institutes of Health's Chief Information Officers Solutions and Partners pact.

In awarding DSETS DLA joins the Army and the Navy in creating agency-focused services vehicles. The Army earlier this month awarded four blanket purchase agreements under its Army Consolidated Enterprise Solutions program and the Navy earlier this year awarded several BPAs under its Information Technology Support Services program.

Covering a Broad Spectrum

A key emphasis of DSETS will be to support DLA's Systems Design Center Columbus Ohio. That center maintains DLA's legacy applications in areas including distribution procurement and logistics support. The contract however will be open to the Defense Department and 20 percent of the program's value will be available for non-DOD agencies.

DSETS "was set up to cover a broad spectrum of needs " said Gary Mears program manager for DSETS at EDS. "Given the size and complexity of DLA they have a wide variety of requirements."

DSETS vendors will compete for individual task orders to be let under the program. Conneen expects DSETS to be open for business by the end of the government's fiscal year.