IDOS Questions and Answers.pdf

ICBM Development, Operations, and Sustainment (IDOS) Industry Day Q&A

The Government would like to extend its sincere appreciation to all industry partners who participated in IDOS Industry Day and contributed valuable insights. Feedback on the documentation, perspectives on the acquisition strategy, and thoughtful questions are instrumental in helping shape the path forward. The Government is actively developing the acquisition strategy and may provide updates as relevant information becomes available.

Below is a summary of the Government’s responses to questions received both prior to and during the IDOS Industry Day one-on-one sessions. The Government has consolidated themes and provided the following responses.

Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO)

Q: What is the Government’s complete plan for implementing the HTRO evaluation approach — including self-scoring verification methods, documentation standards, scoring criteria (breadth vs. depth), treatment of prime versus team qualifications, consideration of workforce stability, relevance of adjacent-domain experience, and measures to foster innovation and competition?

A: The Government is currently evaluating all available options and potential combinations for implementing the HTRO evaluation approach. Feedback received during the IDOS Industry Day will be a key factor in shaping the final methodology to ensure the best overall outcome. While evaluation criteria and factors have not yet been finalized, the Government will clearly define all requirements — including self-scoring verification methods, documentation standards, scoring criteria, and any other applicable evaluation elements

— within the official solicitation. Any clarifications or additional guidance will be provided in future solicitation documents to ensure transparency, fairness, and a competitive process.

Task Order/Contract Structure

Q: What are the Government’s intended rules and strategies for promoting fair competition across all task orders — including bidder eligibility to win or participate in multiple TOs, potential use of performance-based contract structures and consideration of alternative NAICS codes to broaden the competitive pool?

A: The Government is actively evaluating all available options and potential combinations to promote fair and open competition across all task orders, with feedback from the IDOS Industry Day serving as a key input to this process. Specific determinations regarding bidder eligibility, potential use of performance-based contract structures, and consideration of alternative NAICS codes have not yet been finalized. These details will be clearly defined in the official solicitation. The Government anticipates providing a comprehensive Bidders Library to ensure all offerors have equal access to relevant information and can prepare fully informed, competitive proposals.

Q: How will the Government define and communicate the structure, scope, and interrelationships of the IDOS Task Orders (TOs) — including whether ICBM and Futures will be separate TOs or combined TOs, how PWSs will apply across TOs, responsibilities for cross-TO integration, and provision of rough order of magnitude data for each TO?

A: The Government is currently assessing all available options for structuring the IDOS TOs, including whether ICBM and Futures TOs will be issued as separate or combined efforts.

Final determinations on TO scope, the applicability of individual PWSs across efforts, and the assignment of responsibilities for cross-TO integration will be clearly defined in the solicitation documents. Rough order of magnitude information for each TO may be provided, along with supporting details in the Bidders Library, to ensure all offerors have a clear understanding of requirements, interrelationships, and integration expectations prior to proposal submission.

Timeline

Q: What is the Government’s planned schedule for solicitation and associated documentation?

A: The Government provided a tentative schedule in the General Session but is currently evaluating the schedule for releasing key solicitation documents, with the goal of supporting the System Program Offices and overall acquisition timeline. Further information will be released to industry as it becomes available. Additionally, further information regarding the IDOS IT TO will be forthcoming.

Acquisition Strategy

Q: How will the Government ensure continuity and flexibility of critical skills — including the ability to move specialized expertise across programs — when transitioning from the current contract to multiple TOs potentially awarded to different contractors?

A: The Government recognizes the importance of retaining and effectively deploying critical skills across the IDOS mission set. Strategies to ensure continuity and flexibility of specialized expertise — including the ability to reallocate key personnel between programs as needs evolve — are under consideration and will be addressed in the solicitation.

Q: How will the Government define and manage transition-in and transition-out periods for each task order, including the rationale for differing transition timelines, the potential for aligning or staggering start dates, and the evaluation of solutions that require less than the projected timelines?

A: The Government is reviewing all options for structuring and managing transition-in and transition-out periods across the IDOS task orders. This includes assessing the rationale for differing transition timelines, the potential benefits and risks of aligning versus staggering start dates, and the feasibility of shorter transition solutions where appropriate.

Final transition requirements and evaluation criteria will be clearly defined in the solicitation to ensure transparency and allow offerors to propose approaches that best support mission continuity.

Q: How will the Government provide timely and secure access to IT infrastructure located in industry-occupied spaces for the winning offeror(s)?

A: The Government recognizes this concern from industry and is evaluating all options available.

Q: How will the Government evaluate contractor performance in cross-functional areas such as integration, risk management, and knowledge transfer?

A: All contractor performance assessments will be addressed in further solicitation documents.

Q: Has the Government identified how it envisions Small Business participation or set-aside?

A: Potential Small Business set asides and goals are currently under review.

Q: When does the Government intend to make Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) considerations available to industry (i.e., teaming arrangements, participation on multiple task orders, etc.)?

A: The Government is actively exploring how OCI will impact contractor participation and will make this information available as soon as it is determined. (See OCI question included within this SAM.gov post)

Q: Has the Government officially determined a 5-year Period of Performance (PoP) for IDOS task orders?

A: The Government is aware of industry’s concerns regarding the potential 5-year PoP length and is still considering the appropriate PoP for each individual task order.

Labor Quantity Workbook (LQW)

Q: Will the Government confirm its approach to defining and applying labor requirements

— including whether labor hours will be specified by Labor Category (LCAT) and location, whether 1,880 hours constitutes a full man-year, and whether a single LQW document will apply across all task orders or separate LQWs will be issued for each?

A: The Government intends to clearly define labor requirements in the solicitation, and the required performance location will be provided in the PWS(s). The definition of a full man-year, such as the use of 1,880 hours, will be confirmed, and guidance will be provided on whether a single LQW will apply across all task orders or if separate LQWs will be issued for each in draft solicitations.

Performance Work Statement(s) PWS(s)

Q: Does the Government plan on supplying a “Bidders Library” in the official solicitation(s)?

A: The Government anticipates providing a Bidders Library in some fashion to ensure consistency and transparency for all offerors. All feedback regarding the PWS drafts provided is being taken into consideration for future solicitation(s).

Conclusion

The Government appreciates your continued engagement and partnership throughout this process. We look forward to maintaining open communication as we move forward with this effort. Please continue to monitor SAM.gov for all IDOS updates.

If you have any additional questions or require clarification, please do not hesitate to contact Blake Davis, IDOS Contracting Officer at blake.davis.1@us.af.mil or Kristen Cross, IDOS Contracting Specialist at kristen.cross.2@us.af.mil, or AFNWC.PZBC.IDOS@us.af.mil.