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The Honorable Bill Nelson, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (January 11, 2024)

Summary

The Committee on Small Business writes on January 11, 2024 to Administrator Bill Nelson of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration about procurement decisions on the SEWP VI GWAC solicitation. The Committee states it is concerned that the revenue-based size standard proposed for SEWP VI limits small business' ability to service task orders without compromising their size status. The Committee requests a rationale for using NAICS code 541512 and a narrative on the nonmanufacturer rule as it relates to NAICS code 541519, by January 25, 2024. The Committee also requests a staff level briefing no later than January 18, 2024. The signature block names Roger Williams, Chairman, and Nick Lalota, Member.

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Issuer
Congressional materials
Document type
2024 01 11 Housesbc Majority To Nasa Letter To Nasa Re Sewp6
Date
2024-01-11
Case
2024 01 11 Housesbc Majority To Nasa Letter To Nasa Re Sewp6

Cite this document

“The Honorable Bill Nelson, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (January 11, 2024).” Original at smallbusiness.house.gov, dated 2024-01-11. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-01-11-2024-01-11-housesbc-majority-to-nasa-letter-to-nasa-re-sewp6/, SHA-256 7fa4cc2072a094810293218e4c2cb103f5bcbd4c3f160f6dec1ce4c20c3aaf58.

Full text

                                             January 11, 2024

The Honorable Bill Nelson
Administrator
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
300 E St. SW
Washington, DC 20546

Dear Administrator Nelson:

        The Committee on Small Business (the Committee) is investigating National Aeronautics
and Space Administration’s (NASA) procurement decisions related to the Solutions for
Enterprise-Wide Procurement Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (SEWP VI GWAC)
solicitation. The Committee is concerned that the revenue-based size standard proposed for use
in SEWP VI limits small business’ ability to service task orders without compromising their size
status. We write today to request a staff level briefing and request additional information.

        NASA’s SEWP VI provides an all-encompassing one-stop acquisition vehicle for
Information Technology Product and Service Solutions.1 This contract vehicle has the potential
to provide small businesses with immense growth opportunities. The previous vehicle iteration,
SEWP V, showed remarkable small business inclusion with small entities winning an estimated
80 percent of contract dollars.2 The apparent success of SEWP V makes the decision to use a
revenue-based overall contract NAICS code even more concerning. This decision could restrict
the ability for small businesses to access task orders and prevent them from fully participating in
SEWP VI.

        It is important for agencies to ensure that small businesses have a fair shot to compete for
federal contracts without bureaucratic red tape limiting their participation. We therefore request
the following documents and information as soon as possible but no later than January 25, 2024:

    1. A detailed rationale on the decision to use NAICS code 541512, including any effort to
       reconsider its use;

    2. A detailed narrative describing concerns or limitations of understanding related to the use
       of the nonmanufacturer rule as it relates to NAICS code 541519.


1
  Memorandum, from Andrea Ross, Contracting Officer, Nat’l Aeronautics and Space Admin., to All Potential
Offerors (Sept. 8, 2023).
2
  SEWP V Contracting Guide, FED. NEWS NETWORK (Aug. 2023).
The Honorable Bill Nelson
January 11, 2024
Page 2 of 2

        In addition to the above requests, we request a staff level briefing on this matter as soon
as possible but no later than January 18, 2024.

        To schedule the delivery of responsive documents or ask any related follow-up questions,
please contact Committee on Small Business Majority Staff at (202) 225-5821. The Committee
on Small Business has broad authority to investigate “problems of all types of small business”
under House Rule X. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this inquiry.

                                         In God We Trust,



_________________________                             _________________________
Roger Williams                                        Nick Lalota
Chairman                                              Member
Committee on Small Business                           Committee on Small Business



cc:    The Honorable Nydia M. Velasquez, Ranking Member
       Committee on Small Business

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