A $484M total small business set-aside for Cisco Preferred Partners. Proposals due July 31, 2026. No past performance required.
Snapshot
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has released a solicitation for a multiple-award Cisco Enterprise Software & Equipment IDIQ, a single enterprise vehicle to consolidate its Cisco software and hardware buying across roughly 2,400 domestic and overseas locations. Estimated at $484 million over 10 years, it is a Total Small Business Set-Aside carrying firm-fixed-price task orders, split into two functional areas.
The qualifying credential is a Cisco Preferred Partner designation, not a stack of past performance references. That makes this a rare, low-barrier enterprise play for small businesses with Cisco expertise, and an especially natural next move for NASA SEWP VI offerors who already sell Cisco.
Short runway: The RFP is already out and proposals are due July 31, 2026. If you hold Cisco authorizations, now is the time to move.
Opportunity in a Nutshell
Item |
Details |
| Opportunity | DOI Cisco Enterprise Software & Equipment IDIQ |
| Agency / Issuing Office | U.S. Department of the Interior – Interior Business Center, Acquisition Services Directorate, on behalf of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) |
| Vehicle Type | Multiple-Award IDIQ · Firm-Fixed-Price task orders |
| Set-Aside | Total Small Business Set-Aside (2 of the Functional Area 2 awards reserved for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises) |
| Estimated Ceiling | ~$484M over 10 years ($149M Functional Area 1 + $335M Functional Area 2) |
| Primary Qualification | Cisco Preferred Partner designation (networking, security, and services) |
| Past Performance | Not required – verify against Sections L & M of the RFP before submission |
| Expected Awards | FA1: single best-value award · FA2: up to nine awards |
| Period of Performance | 5-year base ordering period beginning Sept. 30, 2026, plus a 5-year option running through September 2036 |
| Place of Performance | DOI sites across ~2,400 domestic and overseas locations |
| Proposals Due | July 31, 2026 |
| Solicitation Number | 140D0426R0063 |
| NAICS Code | 541519 – Other Computer Related Services |
| Opportunity Link | View on SAM.gov |
Why This Fits You
Four reasons this opportunity is worth a serious look, especially if you already move Cisco:
- It’s a Total Small Business Set-Aside. The competition is small businesses only, so you’re not up against the large integrators for a place on the vehicle.
- No past performance wall. The qualifying credential is your Cisco Preferred Partner designation, not a long history of similar federal awards, a rare opportunity for capable firms that are newer to enterprise vehicles.
- A natural fit for NASA SEWP VI offerors. If you bid SEWP VI with Cisco solutions, you already have the OEM relationships, resale muscle, and product knowledge for this IDIQ rewards. Much of the hard positioning work is done.
- Real, recurring revenue. With a Day-One task order planned in each functional area and a 10-year potential runway, winning a seat is a gateway to sustained enterprise buying, not a one-time award.
iQuasar’s track record: On recent NASA SEWP VI awards, our supported win rate was 96%. If you have Cisco expertise, this IDIQ plays directly to that strength.
The Two Functional Areas
Functional Area 1 – Software Licensing & Support (~$149M). Department-wide Cisco enterprise agreements, license provisioning, and SmartNet renewal management. DOI intends to make a single best-value award here.
Functional Area 2 – Cisco Hardware and Installation Service (~$335M). Cisco hardware supply and installation services at DOI sites. DOI plans up to nine awards, with two reserved for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE).
You can pursue one or both – the right lane depends on whether your strength is enterprise licensing, hardware fulfillment, and field installation, or both.
Key Dates
Milestone |
Date |
| Phase I voluntary advisory response | July 10, 2026 |
| Questions due to the Contracting Officer | July 15, 2026 |
| Proposals due | July 31, 2026 |
| Base ordering period begins | September 30, 2026 |
Evaluation runs in three phases – advisory feedback, compliance review, and full proposal assessment – so a clean, compliant submission is decisive. With the deadline this close, the window to prepare a competitive response is now.
How iQuasar Helps
iQuasar supports small businesses through the full contract-vehicle lifecycle, from eligibility and bid/no-bid analysis to a compliant, competitive proposal and post-award task-order capture. For this IDIQ, we can:
- Confirm your eligibility and Cisco Preferred Partner alignment against the solicitation.
- Run a fast bid/no-bid and functional-area fit assessment given the short timeline.
- Build a compliant, best-value proposal mapped to the three-phase evaluation.
- Position you for the Day-One task order and future orders under the vehicle.
We know Cisco resellers, we know DOI, and we have a 96% supported win rate on recent NASA SEWP VI awards. With proposals due July 31, the sooner we start, the stronger your submission.
iQuasar tracks federal contract vehicles daily and supports small businesses bidding across SEWP VI, OASIS+, CIO-SP4, 8(a) STARS III, and agency-specific IDIQs like this one. This brief is for informational purposes; confirm all requirements against the official solicitation on SAM.gov before submitting.
