Census Bureau partially sketches out timeline for $2.5B in digital transformation pacts

The Census Bureau has partially updated the timeline for competing its primary enterprise technology and application modernization contract mechanism in support of the 2030 exercise.

Also known as CenTAM, the Census Bureau Transformation & Application Modernization effort will be a set of four blanket purchase agreements covering various tech needs for the U.S.’ next population tally.

The Census Bureau first detailed the planned structure of awards for CenTAM in the summer of 2025, then held an industry day in July to further explain the plan.

The Census Bureau is now reassessing portions of CenTAM’s framework given how artificial intelligence and other technology areas have quickly evolved, the agency said in a Tuesday Sam.gov notice.

CenTAM will have a combined ceiling value of roughly $2.5 billion across all BPAs, according to a slide deck from the July 21 industry day. 

In describing AI, the bureau’s newest notice uses the term “Super Intelligence” following President Trump’s Sept. 29 executive order directing agencies to use the SI phrase in official communications.

The new rough timeline for CenTAM pegs solicitation activity for the decennial- and geospatial-focused BPAs to start ramping up before this calendar year ends.

More details will be forthcoming for the enterprise BPA, as well as the systems and programs pact, after the Census Bureau completes its review of those requirements and acquisition strategies.

Both the enterprise and decennial BPAs will have ceilings of $1 billion each for multiple awardees, while the geospatial piece will be worth up to $241 million and the SPS portion will have a maximum $311 million value. The geospatial and SPS tracks will have single winners.

Work under each BPA will take place over one initial base year and up to nine individual option years.