8(a) STARS II

General Description

8(a) STARS II Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)

Credence holds a Prime 8(a) STARS II (Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resources for Services) GWAC, under Constellations I and II. The 8(a) STARS II GWAC is a dynamic Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, engineered to provide cutting-edge technology solutions from award-winning 8(a) Small Businesses to federal agencies. For the Government, 8(a) STARS II offers streamlined procurement for participants since prices have been pre-competed. Also, because each technology provider has been proven, agencies are assured quality work with a much shorter procurement lead-time and lower user access fees while receiving socioeconomic credit.

The continuation GWAC, 8(a) STARS III was awarded to our Joint Venture: Credence Dynamo Technologies LLC (CDT). Please click here for more details on the CDT JV.

Scope of Awarded Contract

The 8(a) STARS II GWAC is intended to support federal agency Information Technology (IT) requirements. The geographical scope of coverage is worldwide and organizational scope of coverage includes those entities authorized in GSA Order ADM 4800. Credence has been awarded the 8(a) STARS II GWAC, Constellations I and II, in the following eight Functional Areas:

• • Constellation I, Functional Area 1, NAICS #541511 (CIFA1)
  • Constellation I, Functional Area 2, NAICS # 541512 (CIFA2)
  • Constellation I, Functional Area 3, NAICS # 541513 (CIFA3)
  • Constellation I, Functional Area 4, NAICS # 541519 (CIFA4)
  • Constellation II, Functional Area 1, NAICS # 541511 (CIIFA1)
  • Constellation II, Functional Area 2, NAICS # 541512 (CIIFA2)
  • Constellation II, Functional Area 3, NAICS # 541513 (CIIFA3)
  • Constellation II, Functional Area 4, NAICS #541519 (CIIFA4)

Features and Benefits

Ordering From STARS II

8(a) STARS II was authorized under the provisions of Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act 15 U.S.C. 637(a) and retains the 8(a) sole source, a/k/a/ “directed order”, authority found in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.8. 8(a) STARS II resulted from a competitive 8(a) procurement, which was offered to and accepted into the SBA 8(a) program; therefore order requirements do not require an additional offer and acceptance from SBA per 19.804-6(a). An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum dated June 6, 2008, titled “Improving the Management and Use of Interagency Acquisitions” establishes that using a GWAC, such as STARS II, is presumed to be in the Government’s best interest. In a July 29, 2009, memorandum from the OMB, the Director cited that Agencies should not count as high risk those acquisitions made noncompetitively pursuant to a statute, including sole source awards made under the small business development 8(a) program. The Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy issued a memorandum dated July 14, 2011, identifying 8(a) STARS II as a contract to be considered by DoD organizations during market research in support of maximizing small business prime contracting opportunities. Federal contracting officers (CO) who wish to use 8(a) STARS II must receive a STARS II overview training and Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA). Orders can be awarded by warranted CO who have received a written Delegation of (DPA). There are various ways to receive STARS II DPA training: 1) through a self-paced on-line course; 2) via conference call; 3) through on-site training for large groups; 4) webinar; 5) video teleconference; or 6) by reviewing and understanding the STARS II Ordering Guide. For more details, please visit: STARS II Delegation of Procurement Authority 

GSA Contacts

For more information about how the 8(a) STARS II GWAC can help your agency with information technology requirements, contact The Small Business GWAC Center at (877) 327-8732, e-mail S2@gsa.gov, or visit www.gsa.gov/8astars2.