Army MAPS
Hundreds of companies across various specialties are preparing to take a swing at MAPS. On this page, we will keep you updated on the opportunity, share insights, and provide valuable proposal support resources on drop day.
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MAPS Updates– March 28th
As we discussed earlier in the week, Industry was expecting a Draft release. Instead, we got this update –
“The Army is currently reviewing the recent Executive Order, ‘Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement’, to determine any potential impact on the Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) contract vehicle.
In light of the ongoing evaluation, there will be a reflective delay in the Pre-Solicitation Meeting and the release of the Final Draft Request for Proposal (RFP). We appreciate your continued interest and understanding, and we will provide updates as soon as any changes or developments occur.”
We will continue to update this page as information becomes available. Due to the potential pause, we will likely postpone our informational webinar scheduled for April 10th. All registered participants will continue to receive updates. Additionally, you can still subscribe to this page for resources and information.
MAPS Updates– March 26th
As we continue to await the next solicitation release, there has been an update of note. On March 21st, the Government announced plans to release Draft 4 of the previously shared sections. They confirmed that this would be the last planned draft prior to the release of the final MAPS solicitation. The full RFP release is currently scheduled for April 29th, and there has been no official update to that timeline.
Additionally, a MAPS Pre-Solicitation Conference has been announced. The plan for this session is for the Government to walk attendees through each section of the draft solicitation. They will be answering some common questions received during Q&A as well as taking live questions during the session. Some important things to know about this conference –
- April 2, 2025
- 10:30 am Eastern
- Registration will close Friday, March 28th at 5:00 pm Eastern
- Official MS Teams invite will be provided to those registered prior to the event via email
What can you expect from VisibleThread?
As always, we will continue to follow this opportunity as it progresses. We will update this page with a recap of the conference following the event to highlight any key takeaways or changes.
We will continue to make resources available, and you can register on the right-hand side of this page to receive –
- An updated Compare Report when the newest draft is released
- A release-day shred of the complete RFP
Additionally, you can register here to attend our upcoming webinar, which will discuss MAPS, what we know, and how VisibleThread can help.
Opportunity Overview
The U.S. Army’s Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) is a consolidated contract vehicle designed to streamline the procurement of knowledge-based professional services. By merging the Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 3 – Services (ITES-3S) and Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services (RS3) contracts, MAPS aims to offer a more efficient approach for the Army, Department of Defense (DOD), and other federal agencies to acquire a wide range of services.
The full Request for proposal (RFP) is expected in April, but the already released sections L and M have given offerors a fairly comprehensive understanding of past performance requirements, certifications needed, and evaluation criteria.
What do we need to know?
Contract Structure:
- Type: Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (MA-IDIQ)
- Duration: 10 years (five-year base period plus one five-year option)
- Ceiling Value: $50 billion
- Contract Types: Firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and time-and-materials
Service Domains:
MAPS encompasses five distinct domains, each associated with specific NAICS codes:
- Technical Services (NAICS 541330): Engineering services, logistics services, manufacturing readiness, technology insertion, integration, and interoperability.
- Management and Advisory Services (NAICS 541611): Acquisition and strategic planning, financial services, training services, education services, program management, quality assurance, and risk management.
- Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Services (NAICS 541715): Basic research, applied research, experimental/developmental research, modeling and simulation, prototyping and fabrication support, and exploratory research.
- Emerging IT Services (NAICS 541512): Intelligent automation (AI/robotic process automation), infrastructure services, platform and cloud services, component framework, big data and analytics, quantum computing, IT RDT&E, business process reengineering, network/systems operation and maintenance, integration and consolidation IT services, cybersecurity services, telecommunications/systems operation and maintenance.
- Foundational IT Services (NAICS 541519): Help desk support, independent verification and validation (IV&V), IT education and training, IT supply chain management, IT management services, and general IT services.
Proposal Evaluation Process:
The evaluation consists of two primary stages:
- Gate Criteria: Offerors must meet specific prerequisites to proceed to the next evaluation phase. These include:
- Active Facility Clearance: A valid security clearance at the secret level.
- Certifications: Certifications such as ISO 9001:2015 and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 or higher are required for large businesses.
- Government-Approved Systems: Large businesses must provide details of government-approved systems, including Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and point of contact information.
- CPARS Ratings: Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System ratings must be above 40% marginal for large businesses and above 60% marginal for small businesses.
- Scorecard Evaluation: Offerors are assessed based on a point-based system across various categories:
- Systems and Rates (Large Businesses Only): Points are awarded for having government-approved systems and rates.
- Certifications: Points are given for active certifications, such as CMMC Level 2 or higher and ISO/IEC 27001:2022.
- Past Performance: Evaluation of qualifying projects (QPs) based on relevance, NAICS alignment, recency, and performance quality. Qualified PP includes federal, state, and local government and private sector. Higher value contracts (over 50M) receive maximum points.
- Technical Approach: Assessment of recruitment strategies, retention plans, and risk management processes. Offerors will be rewarded for higher employee retention rates in QPs.
What Potential Bidders Need to Know:
- Submission Requirements: Offerors can propose in any of the five domains and must prepare the following documents for each domain:
- Cover Letter: A one-page letter including point of contact, proposed domain(s), company name, business size, and CAGE code.
- Gate Criteria Documentation: Evidence supporting compliance with the gate criteria.
- Volume I – Systems, Rates, and Certifications: Details of government-approved systems, rates, and relevant certifications.
- Volume II – Past Performance: Up to three qualifying projects per proposed domain, each with a minimum total value of $2 million and at least one year of performance within the last four years.
- Volume III – Technical: Descriptions of recruitment, retention, and risk management strategies, limited to two pages per section.
- Small Business Participation: Each domain will have small business reserves, encouraging participation from small enterprises.
- Proposal Timeline: Updated proposal timeline as of February 7th –
- April 29th, 2025: RFP Release Date
- May 28th, 2025: Proposal Due Date
- September 28th, 2025: Evaluations Complete
- November 17th, 2025: Award Date
How can VisibleThread help?
We understand that this opportunity has a vast reach. With well over 300 combined ITES-3S and RS3 incumbents and only 100 awards available, everyone is looking for a competitive edge. As this opportunity progresses, we will share resources generated from the VT platforms.
What you can expect?
Drop Day Shred and Compare
We know that time is your most valuable resource. To promote efficiency and demonstrate how quickly VT Docs can deconstruct a solicitation, we will offer a FREE risk and compliance shred the day the MAPS RFP is released.
To make sure that you receive it first, sign up to join our list.
Ongoing updates
We will update you with changes as they occur. Follow this page to understand how MAPS is evolving and to learn more about how VT can help at all stages of the proposal lifecycle.
Reports and Resources
Beyond our initial shred, we will share amendment compares, acronym reports, language analysis, and more. Those resources will be highlighted on this page and emailed to those who sign up for MAPS updates.
We want to help you understand the key components and requirements of this opportunity and prepare a competitive and compelling offering.
In the meantime, if you want to know more about how VisibleThread can help with all your opportunities, click here to speak to us!
