The agency says it needs more time to finish evaluations as well as resolve protests at GAO. Faced with several bid protests and an extremely large number of proposals, NASA is asking for authorization to extend SEWP V a few more months until the end of the fiscal year.
Currently, SEWP V expires on April 30 but because NASA hasn’t completed the evaluation of proposals for SEWP VI, it wants to extend the current contract to Sept. 30. SEWP is one of the market’s largest IT products and services contracts. The next version will have a $60 billion ceiling.
“Additional time is needed to make selection and award,” NASA posted on the SEWP website.
While NASA doesn’t mention the protests in its announcement, there are nine active challenges at the Government Accountability Office from companies whose proposals were rejected during phase one of the evaluation process.
The deadlines for GAO to rule on the protests fall in late May and early June, well past the April 30 end date for SEWP V. NASA said it wants SEWP VI to begin the day after SEWP V ends so there is no disruption in the program.
By extending the end of SEWP V to Sept. 30, the agency should have enough time to get through the remaining evaluations as well as resolve the protests.
That will also leave the agency a few weeks to plan a going-away party for Joanne Woytek, the long-time SEWP program manager. She announced yesterday that she will leave NASA on Oct. 17.
She has led the program since 1999 and is considered the chief architect of its success.
While she is leaving government, Woytek said she is not retiring but will take her skills and experience and apply them to a new opportunity.
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