CenTAM Industry Day 2026.07.21.2026.pdf

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

TRANSFORMATION AND APPLICATION

MODERNIZATION (CenTAM)

VIRTUAL INDUSTRY DAY

July 21, 2026

Topic Presenter

Opening Remarks

CenTAM Acquisition Timeline & Framework Overview

Shamere Mack Chief, FAC-COR Level III Contracts Business Management, DCEO

CenTAM Quoter Eligibility, Participation Paths, and Team Rules

Matthew Gore FAC-C-DS Level III Contracting Officer, Acquisition Division

Quote Preparation & Evaluation

Katrina Syvertsen FAC-COR Level III, DCEO

Geography Division / GEOTAM Order

Nathan Jones Assistant Division Chief, Geography Division

Decennial Information Technology Division (DITD) / DTAM Order

Jaya Damineni Assistant Division Chief, Census Applications Development, DITD

Atri Kalluri Division Chief, DITD

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

Following the event, today's presentation will be posted to SAM.gov under the CenTAM notice. Vendors should continue to monitor SAM.gov for the presentation and all official acquisition communications.

• The purpose of this industry day is to address commonly asked questions and comments received in response to notice ID #YA1323-26- CENTAMSN-0002 and associated draft solicitation materials.

• The acquisition approach described in this briefing is preliminary and subject to change. It will not be considered final until the official solicitation is released.

• Official acquisition information will be provided only through authorized procurement channels and Contracting Officer communications.

• Vendors should rely on official acquisition communications for instructions, deadlines, submission requirements, and updates

Agenda & Administrative Items

Mark Markovic Division Chief, Decennial Contracts and Execution Office

(DCEO)

Acting Division Chief, Computer Services Division

CenTAM Acquisition Timeline & Framework Overview

Presented by

Shamere Mack Chief, FAC-COR Level III

Contracts Business Management, DCEO

CenTAM Acquisition Timeline

Please continue to monitor SAM.gov for official updates

No formal Q&A period is planned following the Final RFQ release. Additional Q&A may be opened if needed.

The Government intends to continue communicating with industry throughout the acquisition process as determined appropriate.

For authoritative dates, solicitation materials, and acquisition updates, monitor SAM.gov

The Government will provide information necessary to support fair and consistent quote preparation.

Anticipated Acquisition Timeline

Industry Day

July 21, 2026

Draft RFQ

August 2026

Draft RFQ Questions/Comments

August 2026

Final RFQ

September 2026

BPAs Awarded

November 2026

DTAM Call Order Award

November 2026

GEOTAM Call Order Award

December 2026

All dates and milestones are notional and subject to change

CENTAM Acquisition Framework Overview

ENTERPRISE

Multi-Award

~$1 Billion USCB-Wide Programs

DECENNIAL

Single-Award

~$1 Billion Decennial Program

GEOSPATIAL

Single-Award

~$241 Million Geospatial Initiatives for USCB

SYSTEMS & PROGRAM

SUPPORT (SPS)

Multi-Award

~$311 Million USCB-Wide Programs

NOTE: Establishment of a BPA does not guarantee any minimum order quantity, funding level, or volume of work.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 1 BASE YEAR + 8 OPTION YEARS

NOTE: SPS BPA is limited to Task Areas 1–3.

SINGLE-AWARD BPAs

All orders issued to the single BPA awardee.

MULTI-AWARD BPAs

All orders competed among BPA awardees.

✓ Orders will be issued in accordance with the ordering procedures and structure outlined in the Awarded BPA(s).

✓ Each order will identify its own scope, evaluation criteria (if applicable), and contract type.

✓ Future orders may be Firm-Fixed-Price, Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour, or Hybrid.

✓ Initial ordering activity is anticipated to support DTAM and GEOTAM requirements.

FOUR MISSION-FOCUSED BPAs

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 1 BASE YEAR + 8 OPTION YEARS

COMMON

TASK AREAS

TA2

IT Project & Program Management

TA5

Data Science & Data Management

TA4

Application Development & Management

TA3

Architecture & Engineering

TA1

Order & Program Management

HOW ORDERS ARE AWARDED

CenTAM Quoter Eligibility, Participation Paths and Team Rules

Presented by

Matthew Gore FAC-D-DS Level III Contracting Officer

Acquisitions Division

SMALL BUSINESS REQUIREMENT GSA MAS REQUIREMENT

All four CenTAM BPAs are 100% Small Business Set-Asides.

Prime Quoter must hold GSA MAS IT Category SIN 54151S at the time of quote submission.

Prime Quoter must maintain eligibility throughout the BPA period.

JOINT VENTURES (JVs)

STANDARD JVs SBA MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ JVs (MPJVs)

Must qualify as a small business under the applicable NAICS requirements and must have own:

• MAS Contract (SIN 54151S)

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

• Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE)

• SAM Registration

Permitted under CenTAM.

The JV itself must hold the required MAS SIN (SIN 54151S).

Mentor experience may be utilized in accordance with

SBA rules.

The JV cannot rely on a venture’s separate MAS contract to quote.

SUBCONTRACTORS Subcontractors are not required to hold SIN 54151S.

Quoters are encouraged to leverage subcontractors to provide required capabilities.

Quoter Eligibility

CenTAM Participation Paths

QUOTERS MAY SUBMIT QUOTES FOR:

ENTERPRISE BPA

ONLY

DECENNIAL BPA

ONLY

GEOSPATIAL BPA

ONLY

ANY

COMBINATION

Enterprise BPA Decennial BPA Geospatial BPA

SPS BPA

ONLY

OR OR OR OR

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Decennial-only and Geospatial-only participation paths are allowed, as long as all submission requirements are fulfilled.

Choose the BPA path that best fits your business.

SPS is an exclusive path and cannot be combined with other BPAs in any capacity.

SPS RESTRICTION

Quoters bidding on the SPS BPA may participate ONLY in SPS.

⊘ May NOT participate on Enterprise, Decennial, or Geospatial teams.

◉ Restrictions apply as either:

Prime, Subcontractor, or JV Partner.

CenTAM Team Rules

MULTIPLE TEAM PARTICIPATION

A company MAY participate on multiple teams:

• Across different BPAs

• Within the same BPA competition ONLY IF the company is

NOT used to satisfy evaluated requirements on competing teams

EVALUATED ELEMENTS THAT CANNOT BE SHARED

A company may NOT be used on multiple competing teams under the same BPA for:

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Key Personnel

Oral Briefing Presentations

PRIME RESPONSIBILITY

The Prime Quoter IS RESPONSIBLE for ensuring all team members:

• Understand participation restrictions

• Remain compliant throughout the quote submission

• Meet solicitation requirements

JOINT VENTURE (JV) TEAMING RULES

JV members are NOT treated as subcontractors for:

• Attestations

• Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) Disclosures

• Representations and certifications

• Team participation restrictions

CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE

JV IS THE

PRIME

QUOTER

Team participation restrictions apply only during the quote submission and evaluation phase of the BPA competition.

1 Non-compliant vendor or team member will be removed.

Related evaluation content excluded:

• Prior Experience

• Key Personnel

• Oral Briefing Participation

Affected quote may be incomplete, non-compliant, or ineligible for award.

2 3

Quote Preparation and Evaluation

Presented by

Katrina Syvertsen FAC-COR Level III Contracting Representative

Decennial Contracts Execution Office

Source Selection Evaluation Framework

Phase 1 Demonstrated Prior Experience

2 Advisory Down-Select

3 Phase 2 Detailed Evaluation

BPA Award Decision

What is Required

What Government Evaluates

Advisory Down-Select Notice What is Required

What Government Evaluates

ENTERPRISE & SPS

DECENNIAL & GEOSPATIAL

• Signed Quoter Attestation

• Demonstrated Prior Experience Examples

• Demonstrated Prior Experience

• BPA-specific Confidence Ratings

• Each BPA independently

• Most highly rated quoters advised to proceed

• Other quoters advised they may be unlikely to be viable competitors

• Notice is non-binding and intended to support informed business decisions regarding continued participation in Phase 2.

• The Government does not intend to cap the number of quoters.

• The Government does not intend to provide formal rankings or detailed rationale as part of the down-select notice.

• Technical & Management Oral Briefing (Oral & Written Slides)

• Key Personnel Resumes (Decennial & Geospatial ONLY)

• Price Quotation

• BPA Business Quotation

• Technical & Management (Oral Briefing + Key Personnel Resumes, if applicable)

• Price Quotation

• Highest technically rated quoter(s)

• GSA has already determined schedule rates are fair and reasonable

• Best Value Tradeoff

• Technical Factors

• Price evaluated using Rates Only Price Evaluation (ROPE) methodology.

Evaluations will be conducted in accordance with Sections L and M (Instructions and Evaluation) of the final solicitation

An Overview of the Two-Phase Evaluation Process

Evaluation Framework & Basis for Award How Evaluation Factors Support Award Decisions Across the CenTAM BPAs

Evaluation Factors by BPA Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Technical & Management

Price Evaluation

Enterprise BPA

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Oral Briefing

Price Quote

Decennial BPA

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Oral Briefing + Key Personnel Resumes

BPA + GSA MAS

Price Quote

Geospatial BPA

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Oral Briefing + 1–3 GEO Key Personnel Resumes

BPA + GEOTAM

Price Quote

SPS BPA

Demonstrated Prior Experience

Oral Briefing

Price Quote

• Each BPA will be evaluated independently

• Government will assign Confidence Ratings for each non-price Evaluation Factor

Enterprise & SPS BPAs

High Confidence (Factor 1)

High Confidence (Factor 2)

Fair & Reasonable Pricing (GSA rates already determined fair and reasonable)

Highest Technically Rated

Decennial & Geospatial BPAs

High Confidence (Factor 1)

High Confidence (Factor 2)

High Confidence (Factor 3)

Rates Only Price Evaluation

(ROPE)

Best Value

• Non-price factors are significantly more important than price

• BPA pricing based on vendor’s GSA Schedule rate structure.

• Government-provided pricing sheet will be completed by quoters.

• Award is subject to compliance and pricing validation.

• Government will utilize a best-value tradeoff

• Rates evaluated using the ROPE methodology

• BPA rates inform price evaluation

• Government-provided pricing matrix will be completed by quoters.

• Award may be made to other than lowest-price quoter when justified by technical merit

Basis for Award

Geography Division GEOTAM Order

Presented by

Nathan Jones Assistant Division Chief

Geography Division

OVER 14 MILLION UNIQUE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, INCLUDING LEGAL,

ADMINISTRATIVE, AND STATISTICAL AREAS.

LEGAL BOUNDARIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 40,000 UNITS OF GOVERNMENT.

APPROXIMATELY 7 MILLION MILES OF ROADS.

ADDRESSES FOR OVER 151 MILLION HOUSING UNITS.

STRUCTURE POINTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 96.9% OF THOSE HOUSING UNITS.

GEOSPATIAL

INFORMATION IN

OUR MAF/TIGER

SYSTEM

INCLUDES…

GEOTAM supports the Geographic Support Program and MAF/TIGER System, a nationwide geographic database of addresses, boundaries, and features that is the overarching umbrella for everything geospatial at the Census Bureau.

GEOTAM Background Information

Geographic Support Program systems and applications will interface with the Business Ecosystem as a part of the System of Systems.

GEOTAM will provide development of systems and applications to be leveraged for IT, geospatial, economic, demographic, research methodology programs, 2030 Decennial Census and early 2040 Decennial Census efforts.

GEOTAM Role in the Census Business Ecosystem

GEOTAM Current Environment

Complex, multi-platform environment supporting geospatial and enterprise data workloads.

Data & Application Environment▤

GEOTAM supports a range of relational and analytical database platforms designed for transactional processing and large-scale geospatial data workloads.

Oracle Database, Oracle Cloud Databases, PostgreSQL, MySQL, AWS RDS, Amazon Aurora, AWS DynamoDB

Scale & Workload Metrics▥

Databases:

60+

Storage:

500+ TB

Internal Users:

500+

Applications:

150+

Tickets:

~1,000/year

Hosting & Operating Environments

Hosting Platforms

• AWS GovCloud

• Oracle Cloud

• Google Cloud

• Bowie Computer Center

• National Processing Center

Operating Environments

• Development (Dev)

• Project Test (QA)

• Integration Testing (ITE)

• Staging / Performance (Stage)

• Production (Prod)

Decennial Information Technology Division DTAM Order

Presented by

Jaya Damineni Assistant Division Chief

Census Applications Development Decennial Information Technology Division

Atri Kalluri Division Chief

Decennial Information Technology Division

Objectives for the first Decennial Transformation & Application Modernization (DTAM) Order

Modernize Secure, stabilize, and scale mission-critical systems across Decennial Programs to support peak operational requirements.

Comply Design and Ensure solutions algin with Decennial, Census Bureau, and Federal standards, including lifecycle review, Zero Trust principles, availability, scalability, accessibility and performance requirements.

Integrate Deliver coordinated technology solutions across program management, engineering, data science, and application development.

Cloud-Smart Advance fit-for-purpose cloud architectures that support high-volume, real-time Decennial workflows.

Govern Data Strengthen data management, data lineage, and governance to balance accessibility, transparency, and protection.

DTAM Objectives

DTAM Functional Task Areas

Five task areas work together to support the Decennial technology portfolio. TA1 Order & Program Management

Governance, reporting, staffing, transition, risk, and compliance support.

TA2

IT Project & Program Management Agile governance, portfolio planning, change management, training, and integrated schedule reporting.

TA3 Architecture & Engineering System roadmaps, standards, gap analysis, application rationalization, cloud-tagging, and CI/CD discipline.

TA4 Application Development & Management Microservices, containers, serverless, APIs, DevSecOps, security gates, and resilient operations

TA5 Advanced Data Science & Data Management Analytics with ML/NLP, data pipelines, and ethical model practices.TA1 provides the management foundation; TA2-5 are the primary technical execution areas.

Program & Project Management

Contractors’ personnel participation will be limited to advisory, facilitation, and technical support roles.

Agile Governance & Planning Support Agile governance, project management, integrated roadmaps, incremental planning, and long-term visibility. SAFe experience is preferred; alternative Agile delivery approaches may be considered.

Requirements management Work with Government teams to elicit and document requirements, create workflow diagrams, and manage change requests. All documents require Government clearance.

Operational delivery management Support artifacts and documentation related to gate ceremonies, including Test Readiness Review, Production Readiness Review, Operational Readiness Review, and Closeout Readiness Review.

Documentation control

• Support updates to existing Census Bureau project and engineering documentation, including system engineering and implementation planning materials, as directed. Changes are governed by the Contracting Officer / Task Manager instructions and contract modifications.

DTAM TA2 – IT Project & Program Management

DTAM TA3 – Architecture & Engineering

Architecture & Engineering Supports system architecture, modernization, cloud engineering, and delivery management.

Core Architecture & Engineering Focus Areas

System-of-Systems Architecture Define architecture and standards to integrate applications, data, and infrastructure seamlessly.

Application Rationalization Assess modernization options such as re-hosting and re-platforming while balancing cost, risk, and value.

Security & Cloud Engineering Design and operate secure cloud architectures that support Zero Trust and embed security into delivery pipelines.

Systems Engineering Management Support design reviews, engineering solutions, onboarding, and technical-debt reduction to strengthen delivery outcomes.

Operating Environments

Most Decennial-supporting applications operate across:

• Development (Dev)

• Project Test (QA)

• Integration Testing (ITE)

• Staging / Performance (Stage)

• Production (Prod)

Hosting Platforms

• AWS GovCloud

• Azure Commercial

• Census Bureau Data Center(s)

• SaaS Platform / Cloud

1 Modern Application Capabilities

• Support modern application delivery using cloud-native technologies such as microservices, containers, serverless functions, APIs , and managed application platforms.

• Support may include open-source programming languages such as Java, Python, and C#, as well as legacy languages where needed.

2 DevSecOps

• Support automated build, test, security scanning, and deployment pipelines.

• Contractors will support the federal DevSecOps team and use Government-provided pipelines where required.

3 Operations & Resilience

• Robust release management, monitoring, incident response, disaster recovery, and operational resilience.

4 Testing

• Support unit, functional, system, integration, regression, scalability, and end-to-end testing.

• Government emphasizes automation testing tools and scripts.

5 Financial & Governance Practices

• Support FinOps tagging standards, architecture, governance, configuration management, access control, process standards, and security requirements..

• Software tools required for a project will be provided by the Government.

DTAM TA4 – Application Development & Management Services

DTAM TA5 – Advanced Data Science & Data Management

1. Advanced Analytics Capabilities

1 TA5 requires machine learning, natural language processing, record linkage, and predictive modeling with scientific rigor.

Solutions should include the use of Large Language Models (LLMs), consistent with Census Bureau security, privacy, and governance requirements, to improve efficiency, accelerate development, and support decision-making.

2. Responsible AI and Compliance

Models must support explainability, bias awareness, validation and compliance with policies, procedures and audit requirements.

Al / ML development must align with applicable NIST guidance and Census Bureau governance requirements.

Closing Remarks

Thank you for your participation and interest in supporting the Census Bureau’s modernization mission.

Please monitor SAM.gov for Industry Day materials, official updates, and RFQ-related communications.

Appendix Industry Questions & Clarifications

Supplemental reference material; not intended for live presentation.

Appendix Index

Appendix Topic

A Acquisition Structure Questions & Clarifications

B Joint Venture Questions & Clarifications

C Incumbency & OCI Questions & Clarifications

D Demonstrated Prior Experience Questions

E Oral Briefing Questions & Clarifications

F Key Personnel Questions & Clarifications

G Staffing Questions & Clarifications

H Price Evaluation Questions & Clarifications

Appendix I: GEOTAM-Specific Questions & Clarifications

I.1. Technical Requirements & Access Questions & Clarifications

I.2. Platform, Cloud Services & Scope Questions & Clarifications

I.3. Operational Readiness, ATO & Support Questions & Clarifications

I.4. Vendor Questions & Clarifications

Appendix J: DTAM-Specific Questions & Clarifications

J.1. Application Types

J.2. Tool Stack

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix A: Acquisition Structure Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

Will CenTAM include opportunities for on-ramping? The Government may consider on-ramping and/or off-ramping procedures, in accordance with the final solicitation.

Does the one-team rule apply to subcontractors, affiliates, lower-tier subcontractors, consultants, OEMs, tool providers, licensors, or entities under the same parent company?

Entities may participate on multiple teams unless they are proposed to meet evaluated requirements, such as demonstrated prior experience, key personnel, or oral briefing requirements, for the same BPA.

Do subcontractors need to hold SIN 54151S to participate? Only the Prime Quoter must hold the required MAS contract and SIN (54151S).

Subcontractors are not required to hold the MAS contract or SIN.

Can a large business serve as a subcontractor to a small business joint venture?

Yes. A small business joint venture (JV) can use a large business subcontractor, provided it meets two separate rules:

• The 50% Financial Rule (13 CFR § 125.6): On a services contract, the JV cannot pay a large business subcontractor more than 50% of the total amount paid by the government.

This is a strictly financial metric, not a tracking of performance hours.

• The 40% Work Share Rule (13 CFR § 125.8 / FAR 52.219-14): Of the work performed natively by the JV itself, the small business protégé partner must physically perform at least 40% of the work, and it must be substantive (more than just administrative functions).

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix B: Joint Venture Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

How will JVs and SBA-approved MPJVs be treated for eligibility, prior experience, documentation, and participation restrictions?

Eligibility

• Standard JV: All partners must be small under the NAICS code unless an affiliation exception applies.

• Mentor-Protégé JV (MPJV): The JV qualifies as small as long as the protégé is small, even if the mentor is a large business.

Past Performance

• Both JV types: May rely on the experience of all partners.

• MPJVs: Gain extra flexibility because the mentor’s experience can be used without causing affiliation, helping the protégé compete for larger contracts.

Documentation

• Standard JV: Must have an SBA-compliant JV agreement, its own SAM.gov registration, UEI, and CAGE code.

• MPJV: Must also have an SBA-approved Mentor-Protégé Agreement, include required 13 CFR 125.8 provisions

(protégé manages, protégé’s manager oversees performance), and submit a JV compliance certificate.

Participation & Restrictions

• Both JV types: Must follow SBA limitations on subcontracting (e.g., no more than 50% to non-similarly situated firms for services/supplies).

• MPJVs: Mentor cannot control the protégé; the Responsible Manager must be a protégé employee; SBA may restrict mentors to two protégés.

Are JV members treated as subcontractors for LOCs, attestation, OCI, Section K, and one-team restrictions?

No. JV members are not treated as subcontractors for purposes of LOCs, attestations, OCI, Section K certifications, or “one team” restrictions. They are treated as owners/venturers of the prime contractor, because the JV itself is the offeror, not the individual members.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix C: Incumbency & OCI Questions & Clarifications Question Answer

Will the Government release details such as current contractors, staffing levels, spending history, application inventories, architecture documentation, or transition materials?

At this time, the Government does not plan to release incumbent operational, staffing, architecture, or historical performance materials. This information is not required to submit a responsive quotation and withholding it does not create an unfair advantage for incumbents.

Any information determined necessary for proposal preparation will be included in the final solicitation.

Will current or related Census work prevent a vendor from competing for CenTAM or participating across CenTAM BPAs?

No. Current or related Census work does not automatically restrict a vendor from competing for or participating across CenTAM BPAs.

How will the Government handle independent verification, validation, testing, or assessment requirements under CenTAM?

These needs will be supported through the SPS BPA, which has requirements to provide flexible independent verification, validation, testing, and assessment services when required.

How will the Government address OCI concerns when future call-order requirements have not yet been defined?

OCI will be assessed at the order level based on the specific work being performed.

Because CenTAM orders may vary in scope, OCI considerations will also vary

Quoters must identify and disclose any actual, potential, or apparent OCI concerns, and the Government will address them as appropriate for each requirement.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix D: Demonstrated Prior Experience Questions Question Answer

Can vendors reuse the same project across BPAs or examples?

Update: For Enterprise, Decennial, and Geospatial BPA submissions, quoters, must provide at least 3 unique demonstrated prior experience examples for each required submission.

For SPS, Quoters must provide a unique prior experience example for each required submission At least one example must come from the Prime Quoter for each BPA quote.

Can distinct task orders, workstreams, CLINs, or call orders under one IDIQ/BPA count as separate examples?

To be considered separate prior experience examples, each must be associated with a different contract number or order number.

Will commercial, state/local, National Lab, or subcontractor experience be accepted?

Prior experience examples must be for a U.S. Federal agency.

Can experience from the JV entity, mentor, protégé, managing venturer, or other JV member be used?

Yes, experience from the JV entity, the mentor, the protégé, and the managing venturer may all be used, but how it can be used depends on whether the JV is a standard JV or an SBA approved Mentor Protégé JV (MPJV) and on the solicitation’s evaluation criteria.

Under 13 CFR 125.8(e), agencies must evaluate:

• The experience of the JV itself (if any)

• The experience of each partner

• The experience of the mentor in an MPJV

• The experience of the protégé

• The experience of the managing venturer

Agencies cannot:

• Require the JV itself to have past performance

• Give the JV a lower rating because it is newly formed

• Ignore the mentor’s experience in an MPJV

• Require the protégé to have the same experience level as the mentor

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix E: Oral Briefing Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

What are the final oral briefing topics and time limits? The Government will provide detailed topic requirements at least one week before each Quoter’s scheduled briefing.

Will oral briefing topics be scenario-based or limited to advance prompts? All topics will be provided in advance. There will be no scenario-based or on-the-spot challenges.

Does Government Q&A count against the presentation time? No. The published time limits apply only to the Quoter’s presentation.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix F: Key Personnel Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

Which Key Personnel are required, when are they required, and how will they be evaluated?

Key Personnel requirements are defined within the DTAM and GEOTAM Orders.

Additional Key Personnel will be identified in future orders accordingly.

Can Key Personnel be subcontractor, JV, or contingent-hire staff? Yes. Key Personnel may be subcontractors, JV personnel, or contingent hires, as permitted by the solicitation.

When using any of these categories, quoters must ensure full compliance with all solicitation requirements.

Is there a penalty for proposing multiple contingent hires? There is no penalty for proposing contingent hires.

However, proposing many contingent hires may affect the Government’s confidence in the Quoter’s ability to staff required Key Personnel.

Are Letters of Commitment (LOCs) required, and will templates be provided?

Yes. LOC requirements are defined in the solicitation. No templates will be provided.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix G: Staffing Questions & Clarifications Question Answer

What assumptions should quoters use when developing staffing plans and pricing?

Quoters should develop staffing and pricing assumptions consistent with the solicitation requirements and the anticipated scope of each BPA and associated orders. Staffing approaches should reflect the specific technical, programmatic, and security needs expected at the order level.

What are the expectations for on-site, hybrid, or remote work under these BPAs?

All DTAM & GEOTAM Key Personnel shall be capable of reporting to USCB Headquarters within 12 hours of notification and shall perform their duties at a work location within the Washington, DC locality area.

Future orders will define work location expectations.

Under what conditions may contractors work remotely with access to Census systems, including VDI or VPN?

Remote access may be permitted only from locations approved by the COR.

How will access to Title 13 and Title 26 (FTI) data be approved and controlled for remote performance?

Access to Title 13 and Title 26 data will be authorized only when required for the order and only from locations approved through the appropriate Census and IRS review processes.

Will Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE), such as Census-issued laptops, be provided for authorized remote work?

GFE will be provided when necessary to support remote work requiring access to Census systems.

What clearance or suitability requirements apply to personnel, and when must they be met?

Suitability determinations will occur after award. Personnel may not begin work or access Census systems until the required background investigations, suitability checks, and security requirements have been completed and approval has been granted.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix H: Price Evaluation Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

Will standardized BPA, DTAM, and GeoTAM pricing matrices be provided?

Yes

How will MAS discounts, EPA/escalation, price realism, MAS continuity, OLMs, specialized tools, and CenTAM-to-MAS labor category mapping be addressed?

Quoters will submit pricing using a BPA-level rate card.

Offerors may propose discounted rates at the BPA level in accordance with solicitation instructions and applicable GSA MAS requirements.

What contract types apply to the initial orders? The Government anticipates:

• DTAM – Hybrid (FFP & LH)

• GEOTAM – Transition Order will be LH and then remaining Orders will be FFP

Will labor categories, LOE, hours, or scenarios be Government-specified?

Yes

Must all labor roles and experience levels be priced? Yes

Can commercial/prebuilt capabilities be separately priced? All pricing is for labor only

Will escalation be allowed over the BPA(s) period of performance? Yes. The solicitation and pricing templates will outline the escalation structure.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix I: GEOTAM-Specific Questions I.1Technical Requirements & Access Questions

Question Answer

Can open-source geospatial frameworks (e.g., PostGIS) be used as demonstrated prior experience substitutes for Oracle Spatial/Topology?

No. Experience with Oracle Spatial and the Topology Data Model is required, as these remain critical for MAF/TIGER’s current state.

Will the Government provide access to the TIGER codebase, Oracle Spatial environments, and related technical artifacts during Phase 2?

No. Access will not be provided during Phase 2, as it will not be required for the oral briefing.

Access will be available to the awardee during transition-in post-award.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix I: GEOTAM Specific Questions I.2. Platform, Cloud Services & Scope Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

What geospatial cloud services is the Government using, and can others be considered?

As of June 2026, the Government uses Azure, Google Earth Engine, and AWS, and is exploring an ATO for ArcGIS Online (AGOL).

Contractors may be asked to research or evaluate other service providers as needed.

Will contractors be asked to maintain or modernize Esri systems?

The Government will provide all necessary Esri licenses. There are no current plans to migrate away from Esri to open-source alternatives.

Is there an existing cloud migration strategy for USCB Geospatial applications, and if so, will the BPA awardee be expected to continue its implementation?

The Government does not have a formal, baselined cloud migration strategy. However, it is actively migrating existing applications to the cloud and assessing additional systems for future migration.

This work will continue during the Order period of performance, and the contractor will be expected to support these ongoing migration efforts.

What systems and programs fall within scope for the Geospatial BPA?

The BPA supports MAF/TIGER, the Geographic Support Program, and geospatial needs from other Census directorates (e.g., Economic).

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Appendix I: GEOTAM Specific Questions I.3. Operational Readiness, ATO & Support Questions & Clarifications

Question Answer

What are contractor responsibilities for Operational Readiness Reviews (ORRs)?

Contractors must ensure applications are production-ready by required deadlines. Government FTEs will handle ORR presentations and preparation.

How are FedRAMP-authorized or previously authorized SaaS/COTS platforms handled?

All systems must obtain an ATO through the Census Bureau’s process, even if they have an existing authorization.

Will contractors need to source satellite imagery or geocoding engines?

No. The Government will provide necessary imagery, software licenses, and geocoding tools.

Will the Government provide transition-in support? Yes. Contractors will receive incumbent transition support, knowledge transfer, and architecture documentation during transition-in.

What staffing surges should contractors expect? Staffing levels are expected to remain stable within each performance period; shifts may occur year-to-year.

Are all contractor personnel required to hold specific security certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, ESEP)?

No. These certifications are not required by all contractor personnel. If it is required for any future order Key Personnel, that requirement will be detailed in the order accordingly.

Are security clearances required before proposal submission?

Suitability determinations will occur after award. Personnel may not begin work or access Census systems until the required background investigations, suitability checks, and security requirements have been completed and approval has been granted.

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Application Type Description

Address & Frame Management Application Systems responsible for maintaining, improving, and validating the national address frame.

Data Ingestion & Processing Pipelines High-volume systems designed for real-time or near-real-time intake, transformation, validation, and integration of Decennial response data from multiple channels.

Data Quality Evaluation Applications Analytical applications that evaluate data integrity, detect anomalies, and support quality assurance processes across large, complex Decennial datasets.

Business Rules & Decisioning Engines Systems that apply statistical rules, operational business logic, and automated decisioning to support editing, imputation, and resolution processes.

Survey & Response Management Applications Applications for scheduling, tracking, and managing response channels such as online responses, paper forms, administrative records, and phone interviews.

Analytics, BI & Dissemination Applications Dashboards, reporting tools, and data dissemination systems that provide statistical outputs, operational metrics, apportionment results, and public-facing data products.

Cloud-Native & Serverless Applications Applications optimized for modern cloud environments to support scalability, integration, workflow orchestration, and cost-efficient, event-driven processing.

DevSecOps & Test Automation Tools supporting automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, environment promotion, infrastructure automation, and quality assurance within the Decennial ecosystem.

Appendix J: DTAM Specific Questions J.1. Application Types

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Application Type Description

Address & Frame Management Application Systems responsible for maintaining, improving, and validating the national address frame.

Data Ingestion & Processing Pipelines High-volume systems designed for real-time or near-real-time intake, transformation, validation, and integration of Decennial response data from multiple channels.

Data Quality Evaluation Applications Analytical applications that evaluate data integrity, detect anomalies, and support quality assurance processes across large, complex Decennial datasets.

Business Rules & Decisioning Engines Systems that apply statistical rules, operational business logic, and automated decisioning to support editing, imputation, and resolution processes.

Survey & Response Management Applications Applications for scheduling, tracking, and managing response channels such as online responses, paper forms, administrative records, and phone interviews.

Analytics, BI & Dissemination Applications Dashboards, reporting tools, and data dissemination systems that provide statistical outputs, operational metrics, apportionment results, and public-facing data products.

Cloud-Native & Serverless Applications Applications optimized for modern cloud environments to support scalability, integration, workflow orchestration, and cost-efficient, event-driven processing.

DevSecOps & Test Automation Tools supporting automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, environment promotion, infrastructure automation, and quality assurance within the Decennial ecosystem.

Appendix J: DTAM Specific Questions J.1. Application Types (continued)

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Category Representative Tools / Technologies for Consideration Description

Application Servers JBoss/WildFly, Tomcat Hosts applications, APIs, and middleware services

Web Servers Apache HTTP Server Supports web appli8cations, reverse proxies, and content hosting.

Databases Oracle Database, MySQL, SQL Server, Amazon Redshift Relational and analytical platforms supporting transactional systems and data warehousing.

Business Intelligence (BI) Power BI, Tableau, Oracle BI Used for analytics, dashboards, reporting, and data visualization.

Low-Code / No-Code Platforms

Power Apps, Salesforce Platform, ServiceNow Ensures rapid application development with minimal custom code.

Collaboration & Content Management

SharePoint Online Used for document management, workflow automation, and portal development.

Monitoring & Observability Tools

Datadog, SolarWinds, CloudWatch Monitors application performance, infrastructure health logs, and alerting across cloud and on-prem environments.

Programming Languages C#, Python, React, PostgreSQL, SAS Used for developing applications

Requirements Management JIRA, SparksEA Used for managing requirements and workflow diagrams

Appendix J: DTAM Specific Questions J.2. Tool Stack

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.

Category Representative Tools / Technologies for Consideration Description

Automation & DevOps Tools

GitLab/GitHub, CI/CD, Jenkins, Ansible, Terraform Supports automated builds, deployments, environment provisioning, and infrastructure-as-code.

Test Automation Tools Playwright, Selenium, Cucumber Provides automated functional, regression, and cross-browser testing

GIS Tools ArcGIS, QGIS Enables geospatial analysis, mapping, and spatial data processing.

Operational Delivery management

JIRA Manage Operational Deliveries

Integrated Project

Schedules

Primavera Create Project Schedules

Appendix J: DTAM Specific Questions J.2. Tool Stack (continued)

Reference material only. The final solicitation, amendments, and official notices remain the controlling documents.