Lot 5 provides customers with items such as technical support, repairs, software upgrades, hardware (firmware) updates and replacement. These products are generally purchased for a term of 1, 3 or 5 years. Customers may purchase extended warranties and maintenance plans from ECS III even if they purchased their original warranty elsewhere. (Software licenses, unless otherwise described by the manufacturer, are typically offered in Lot 1 or Lot 4.)

Some examples of Lot 5 items are:

• Onsite and send-in damage/component repair such as Cisco’s SMARTnet Service
• Helpdesk support for software or hardware including telecommunications (Usually conducted by phone; some offer online help as well.)
• Extended warranties for software or hardware such as the AppleCare Protection Plan
• Software maintenance updates such as Oracle’s “My Oracle Support” or Microsoft’s “Windows Update”. (Updates might be downloaded or automatically pushed to your computer by the software company.)
• Preventive maintenance for hardware. (Might include cleaning or replacing parts/cables/wires/connections/power supplies etc.)

You may purchase services alone.                   

Yes. Lot 6 services include leasing services. Personal computers, network servers, telecommunications equipment and printers are just a few of the items that can be leased on ECS III.

The ECS III Request for Quotes (RFQ) System provides an expedited ordering process that allows you to quickly upload the specifications/requirements and supporting documentation for your RFQ. Responses from qualified contract holders can be received in as little as three days of RFQ submission.

Additionally, the system’s built-in processes assists you in meeting FAR ordering requirements, including Fair Opportunity to be Considered (FAR 16.505). The RFQ System supports your documentation needs. Key documentation is printable for keeping a record in your official files. Step-by-step instructions are available on the NITAAC website under RFQ System training.

Yes. You may elect to close your RFQ in 1 day. However, leaving an RFQ open for less than three days may result in no bids received. NITAAC recommends leaving the RFQ open for at least 3 days.

Yes. The NITAAC Contract Access Fee is listed as a separate line item on the vendor’s quotes. The fee for the ECS III contract is .05% capped at $10,000.

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities.

Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology.

Under Section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. Visit http://www.section508.gov for more information and to access the “Buy Accessible Wizard”.

Yes. Vendors may be contacted as long as you have provided an opportunity to all eligible contract holders to review and respond to the requirement. This opportunity can be easily given to all contract holders through the use of the RFQ System.

FAR Subpart 11.104(b) states “brand name or equal purchase descriptions must include, in addition to the brand name, a general description of those salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics of the brand name item that an “equal” item must meet to be acceptable for award. Use brand name or equal descriptions when the salient characteristics are firm requirements.”

By selecting the Reverse Auction option, your RFQ is automatically posted as a solicitation on FedBid’s Buyer Driven Online Marketplace, competed against the ECS III contractors in the Lots(s) you choose. The contractors will document a legally binding bid and be ranked from lowest to highest price. The contractors can see if they are “leading” (have the lowest price) or “lagging” (do not have the lowest price) in real time, giving you the best possible market value for your requirement. While bids are ranked by price, it is up to the buyer to choose the best value to their agency. You do not necessarily have to choose from the lowest price. Feel free to visit www.fedbid.com for further information.

Yes. Changes to an RFQ can be made anytime prior to closing. If you elect to amend an RFQ within 24 hours of the closing date and time, the RFQ System will automatically extend the closing of the RFQ by 24 hours.

Create your Purchase/Delivery Order in your contract writing system by using the winning contractor’s ECS III contract number. (NIH customers utilizing the NBS PRISM system will use the PRISM document number.)

After award, return to the RFQ System and select the winning quote by clicking the Vendor Quote Details link for the desired vendor and click the Select this Quote button to complete the order.

The Delivery Order Confirmation page will appear and will provide you with an ECS III Tracking number. For your convenience, a copy of the delivery order can be uploaded into the RFQ System to keep track of all completed orders using the ECS III contract.

To place the order, provide your contracting office with a requisition containing the RFQ Number, the NITAAC Delivery Order Authorization Number (assigned when the Convert To Order button is clicked), and printed quotes.

Vendors cannot sell refurbished products. All equipment and software sold under this contract, by statute, must be new. You can tell them that prototype, beta test products, discontinued, announced discontinued, used, refurbished, remanufactured, or reconditioned products are not acceptable.

EPEAT is a system that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers desktop and laptop computers, thin clients, workstations and monitors. For more information on EPEAT environmental standards please visit www.epeat.net.

Some examples of Lot 6 items include:

• Install MS SQL-Server Administrator software and train staff on usage
• Maintenance and tech support on leased printers
• Install servers, racks/enclosures and network cabling in a data centers
• Install telecommunication in an office building
• Install IT video conferencing equipment and cabling. This does not include any furniture that is not designed specifically for use with a computer. Furniture is outside the scope of the contract
• Subscription based Technical Support, such as security “network intrusion/hacking” monitoring services
• Subscription based software where users can access a database service on-line
• Training on Oracle Financials software
• Integrate SAP software with Sharepoint on a computer network
• Build servers/computer workstations to custom configurations and integrate with existing network. (In this example, the customer identifies the components and the vendor assembles the machine. The vendor may install and configure any software that is required. The vendor then connects the cables and tests to make sure it all works with their network.)
• Perform an assessment of an organization's IT infrastructure

Yes. The system allows you to request Trade Agreement Act (TAA) compliance information from the quoting ECS III contract holder by checking a box on the Create RFQ page. The contract holder must then indicate on their quote whether or not each CLIN is TAA compliant.

Yes. ECS III is an Indefinite-Delivery Contract and allows small business set-asides. From FAR Subpart 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F): "In accordance with section 1331 of Public Law 111-240 (15 U.S.C. 644(r)), contracting officers may, at their discretion, set aside orders for any of the small business concerns identified in 19.000(a)(3). When setting aside orders for small business concerns, the specific small business program eligibility requirements identified in part 19 apply."