GWAC

FAR 2.101 defines a GWAC as a task-order or delivery-order contract for information technology established by one agency for government-wide use, operated by an executive agent designated by OMB. GSA and NASA run well-known examples, such as GSA's Alliant and NASA SEWP.

Agencies like GWACs because the holders are already vetted, so a task order can be competed among them much faster than a full open competition. Ordering follows the fair opportunity rules of FAR 16.505.

GWAC awards happen in periodic solicitations, sometimes with small business pools or set-aside tracks. The proposals often weigh corporate experience, past performance and certifications heavily, and they can be long and complex.

Before investing, check how much your target customers actually order through that vehicle. A GWAC is an IDIQ: the award opens the door, and the revenue comes from winning orders afterward.

Holding a GWAC changes how you sell. Agencies can order quickly, so business development shifts to helping program offices understand that they can buy your services through the vehicle, and to being ready to answer task order requests with short deadlines. Many holders keep a library of reusable material for the vehicle: past performance write-ups, resumes, standard management approaches and pricing built on the GWAC's labor categories. Without that preparation, the speed that makes a GWAC attractive to agencies becomes a burden for the contractor.