There are many reasons an agency might decide to use an assisted acquisition.  Oftentimes, agencies use assisted acquisitions simply because they do not have the time, or manpower, to complete the acquisition in-house. In other cases, an agency may not have the expertise needed to complete the procurement. In the case of information technology, a lack of in-house expertise is increasingly a driver as there is now a requirement for contracting professionals who deal predominately in information technology acquisitions to be Digital IT Acquisitions Professional (DITAP) certified by 2022 before they are assigned a digital services requirement. Rest assured, all NITAAC contracting officers and specialists are DITAP certified, which means they are specially trained to handle information technology procurements. Not only have they completed the rigorous training process, but they are experienced in implementing the most innovative and streamlined strategies in IT procurements.

Regardless of the reason an agency chooses to conduct an assisted acquisition, our contracting professionals will work with you to determine the best course forward for your acquisition, from the market research and acquisition planning phase, all the way through administration and closeout. NITAAC will pair you with an experienced Contracting Officer capable of identifying innovative information technology contracting approaches on any of our three Best in Class Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs).

NITAAC operates on a 90-day procurement administrative lead time (PALT), beginning from the date we receive the completed submission package, but our average time from solicitation to award is just 45 days. That means an agency will have a contractor ready to begin work in a few short months versus the typical 6-9-month cycle with comparable procurements.

Agencies should rest assured in knowing that we don’t sacrifice quality for speed—every IT solution will be of the highest quality, because of the rigorous vetting and evaluation process behind every vendor on a NITAAC GWAC.

With Assisted Acquisitions, federal agencies benefit from the capabilities and expertise of our contracting officers, as well as the efficiencies and economies associated with leveraging resources and requirements. It’s a win, win for all. 

If you are interested in partnering with us on a requirement, or simply want more information, contact NITAAC Customer Support at 888-773-6542 to speak with an intake specialist who will advise you on the process and required paperwork or visit https://nitaac.nih.gov/services/assisted-acquisitions.