Army unveils first sketch of commercial tech contract for test, evaluation

The Army has started its process of creating a new multiple-award contract vehicle that would function as a pathway for rapidly acquiring commercial technologies and services to aid in test and evaluation efforts.

Currently being called Orchestra, Army officials are envisioning a contract to operate alongside existing acquisition portfolios and work under Part 12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. This FAR portion governs how agencies acquire commercial products or services with an emphasis on streamlined procedures.

The Army is currently contemplating a two-pool structure for Orchestra with one focused on services and a second focused on products, the service branch said in a sources sought notice posted Monday.

Engineering services, computer systems design, IT services, instrumentation, electronic components, and other technologies are in the scope of work for Orchestra.

The request for information breaks out Orchestra’s four primary areas into enterprise test infrastructure, commercial tech integration and sustainment, commercial engineering and technical services, and agile execution and program support.

Given Orchestra’s labeling as a commercial contract, the Army is emphasizing speed and agility in what it wants from industry as the service branch looks to support its current and future modernization requirements.

Some of the key tech areas of interest include networking modernization, sensors and instrumentation systems, data collection systems, test environments, and refresh activities.

The RFI’s list of questions asks respondents to say whether or not a proposal turnaround of less than 7 days is a standard practice for their organization, as well as details on internal processes or structures for making those happen.

Responses should not exceed 8 pages and be submitted in PDF format only.

Comments on the RFI are due by 9 a.m. Eastern time on June 26.