The Army on Wednesday launched a $5 billion competition to replace all of its personal computers with commercially available replacements that can be regularly upgraded over the next decade.
Called the Army Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS), the program seeks commercial-off-the-shelf information technology equipment to include desktop computers, integrated desktop computers, workstations, electronic display, notebooks, tablet computers, slate, thin client, ultra-thin client, printers, multifunction devices and warranty, according to the request for proposals (RFP) published Wednesday on the government’s contracting website.
CHESS and its associated programs are part of a Defense Department-wide effort to consolidate and standardize IT systems so they can be better managed, maintained and protected all for less money. Another $5 billion in February was awarded under the Information technology Enterprise Solutions 3 Hardware (ITES-3H) vehicle, aimed to update the hardwired infrastructure and computing servers the Army owns was awarded to 17 companies – eight “large” and nine “small.”
In both IDIQ contracts, the companies selected will then compete for periodic task orders over the program’s 10-year run. Under the IDIQ contract, the Army can decide to “on-ramp” new capabilities or technologies annually within the first five years. After five years, the Army will conduct an on-ramp for new, upgraded products, the RFP says.
“However, the government may conduct an on-ramp in any year of the ordering period to maintain adequate competition or to obtain access to additional technologies and capabilities,” the RFP says.
Up for grabs under the most recent RFP is the Army Desktop and Mobile Computing-3 (ADMC-3) contract, which will consist of replacing all of the service’s desktop and mobile computers with an initial five-year order and an option for five more years.
ADMC-3 is the umbrella contract for a consolidated buy, in which the Army intends to standardize its computing infrastructure in an effort to bring down its overall IT services bill.
The previous iteration, ADMC-2, awarded $5 billion in work to Dell, Hewlett Packard [HPQ], Investment Technology Group [ITG], Telos Corp., Transource Computers, Emtec Federal and NCS Technologies.
The Army plans to award at least eight indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts, five of which are reserved for small businesses. The total amount of orders over the next 10 years is capped at $5 billion. Computers that meet the Army’s basic IT needs will do. Plans are to select lowest-price, technically acceptable products that will work immediately, then update the hardware and software in regular intervals, the RFP says.