Bid Inquiry Contractor Report - HITS-UIII Post Industry Day

This document is a Bid Inquiry Contractor Report summarizing thirty unclassified inquiries submitted by contractors following the HITS-UIII (High-Performance Computing Modernization Program) Post Industry Day briefing held on June 26, 2026. The inquiries address the proposed contract structure, evaluation methodology, security requirements, personnel commitments, and operational scope for the HITS-UIII contract, which will provide support services to Defense Supercomputing Resource Centers (DSRCs) across multiple military installations.

Key contract details revealed through the Q&A include: HITS-UIII will be structured as a hybrid contract combining Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) CLINs for labor with Cost-Reimbursable (CR) CLINs for non-labor components including Other Direct Costs (ODCs) and travel. Individual task orders will be evaluated using Sample Task Orders (STOs) for technical evaluation purposes only, with STOs not incorporated into the final contract unless awarded separately. The Government clarified that benchmarking responsibilities remain a Government function and will not be contractor obligations. Twelve Key Personnel positions are required, representing distinct full-time commitments for critical operational elements, though the Government welcomes innovative solutions proposing fewer KPs with sufficient justification. Oral presentations remain under evaluation consideration. Contract security requirements include a Top Secret Facility Clearance for the prime offeror, with subcontractors required to hold appropriate clearances based on their scope of work. CMMC Level 2 certification requirements were suspended on July 13, 2026, with alternatives involving NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment scores. The Government has not set aside any portion for small business concerns and confirmed no FFP Level-of-Effort (LOE) structure will be used. The Small Business Participation Plan will be contractually binding with performance monitored through Individual Subcontract Reports (ISRs). As of the September 2026 report date, the Government was unable to provide definitive timelines for Draft RFP and Final RFP release.