Click Here: A Complete Guide to Pacts III
November 21, 2023:
The DHS is continuing to work on the attendee list and responses to the 317 questions from the Industry Day. The attendee list and answers to the questions will be provided once available. Additionally, the final RFP will not be posted until after the Thanksgiving holiday. The DHS will inform Industry of the anticipated date the final solicitation will be released once it is determined.
November 13, 2023:
During the PACTS III Industry Day, held on November 9, 2023, the Contracting Office provided the following tentative dates:
- Solicitation: November 17, 2023
- Questions: November 28, 2023
- Proposals: January 31, 2024
- Awards: August 2024
The session was recorded, but there is no estimate on when the recording will be available to everyone as the government is still seeking proper approvals to be able to publish it
November 9, 2023:
DHS released the Q&A for the second draft of PACTS III of the PACTS III RFP but noted that these responses pertain to the second PACTS III draft RFP only and may not apply to subsequent drafts and/or the final RFP. Due to this, interested parties are encouraged to read any future versions of the PACTS III RFP in its entirety. The final RFP will supersede all previous versions of the PACTS III RFP.
October 27, 2023:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has unveiled the third draft of the PACTS III Request for Proposal (RFP). Here’s what you need to know:
The third draft RFP and its attachments are now available, clearly marked with “3rd Draft RFP” in their naming. At this stage, the Government isn’t accepting any queries about this draft solicitation. This draft is specifically for Functional Category 1. Remember, the final RFP for PACTS III will have three separate solicitations, each for a different Functional Category.
Major Updates to Look Out For: The transition from the second to the third draft has brought numerous changes. From evaluation criteria based on Functional Category and type of Offeror to the inclusion of projects from the Offeror or its partners, there’s a lot to digest. Plus, there’s been a significant refresh of the attachments.
- Proposals will be evaluated based on the Functional Category, socioeconomic track, and type of Offeror;
- Projects that meet the definition of relevant and recent as defined in the solicitation that are from the Offeror (Prime Contractor or Small Business Teaming Arrangement (SBTA)) itself or a partner/member of the Offeror’s SBTA will be considered;
- 40% of projects verified must have been performed by the partner(s) of the joint venture that possesses the socioeconomic status associated with the track the Offeror is proposing (52.207-6(a)(1)(i)); Prime Contractor of a Prime/Subcontractor relationship (52.207-6(a)(1)(ii)) or the protégé in a Mentor-Protégé relationship (52.207-6(a)(2)
- Managing Venturers or Prime Contractors of SBTAs that are Joint Ventures or Prime/Subcontractor(s) as defined in the solicitation may be granted additional points if Partner/Subcontractor agreements are provided that prove the Offeror has managed teams of the same size or larger on other projects.
- The Government plans to use the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) suite for these processes.
A Word of Caution: The language and documents in this draft are not final and may undergo changes. Always refer to the final issued RFP for any discrepancies.
The PACTS III Industry Day is scheduled for November 9, 2023, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm EST. It will be conducted via Microsoft Teams Live. Join the Industry Day here. Don’t forget to register!
October 23, 2023:
The solicitation release for PACTS III is expected in November 2023, as per the USCIS FY 2024 1st Quarterly Industry Call Advanced Presentation issued on October 23, 2023.
The government continues to project an Industry Day in October 2023 as well. A copy of the presentation is available in the Related Documents section.
Industry Call details: The Industry Call will be held at 1 PM ET, October 31, 2023. The call-in number and passcode for this event is 1-888 323-9726, passcode; 2823795. The recording will be available two (2) hours after the event.
August 28, 2023:
The DHS is continuing to work on responses to the questions from the second draft RFP and will provide the answers once available. Additionally, the DHS now anticipates hosting a pre-solicitation virtual Industry Day in October 2023. Instructions on how to register for the Industry Day will be available once a firm date is established and the time gets closer.
July 25, 2023:
DHS announced that it intends to host a pre-solicitation virtual Industry Day in August 2023. Registration instructions for Industry Day will be made available once a firm date is established. The DHS also noted that is working on responses to the questions from the second draft RFP and will provide the answers once available.
June 23, 2023:
The second PACTS III draft RFP, attachments, and survey have been posted. All questions or concerns regarding any aspect of this draft solicitation shall be submitted using the Solicitation Question and Answer Form, Attachment 17, and sent to PACTSIII@uscis.dhs.gov no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 7, 2023.
Key changes include:
- The inclusion of a past performance evaluation
- Limited project opportunities for primes, SBA small business JVs, and SBA MPPs
- 40% of projects must be performed by SBA MPP Protégé
- Enhanced definitions for Project Relevancy/Recency requirements
- Updated Statement of Work and On/Off Ramping Terms and Conditions
- Additional attachments for reference
The draft documents are subject to change and the final RFP will take precedence over any conflicting information. The highly anticipated PACTS III Industry Day is scheduled for the end of July 2023.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can use the Solicitation Question and Answer Form (Attachment 17) and send them to PACTSIII@uscis.dhs.gov.
April 24, 2023:
On April 24, DHS provided an update that the department is working on responses to the questions from the initial draft RFP and will provide responses once available. A second draft RFP for PACTS III is also anticipated to be released. DHS is contemplating hosting a matchmaking event in the May to June (2023) timeframe. If pursued, details will be made available to the industry in advance. Additionally, DHS now anticipates hosting a pre-solicitation virtual Industry Day in the late May or early June (2023) timeframe, and the instructions on how to register for the Industry Day will be available as time gets closer.
Based on the update released by DHS on March 23, 2023, the agency mentioned that they had received 524 questions in response to the draft RFP and will respond to them in the order received. DHS also requested the interested contractors to inform them if they do not receive an email from the PACTS III team with responses to their questions by the time all questions and answers are posted publicly.
Also, DHS has informed in the latest update that the virtual Industry Day will no longer be held at the end of March 2023 but has been rescheduled for the end of April 2023. DHS will provide information related to Industry Day as it gets closer. The government plans to issue the awards in August 2024. According to APFS Record #F2022059380, the solicitation is still expected to be released on or about August 30, 2023.
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