Missing the original competition for a major multiple-award contract can feel like missing a train that will not return for a decade. Often, though, the vehicle has a way to add new contract holders later. These on-ramps can be the most realistic path onto a vehicle for a growing firm, and with mid-year a common time for firms to plan next year’s pursuits, they are worth understanding.
What is an on-ramp?
An on-ramp is a competition, held after a multiple-award contract has been awarded, to add new awardees. Some vehicles call the process an open season. The terms for adding contractors are usually written into the original solicitation and contract, which may state whether on-ramps are planned, how often they may occur and which pools or categories they may cover. Not every vehicle has them, and those that do may use them rarely.
Why do agencies add contractors after award?
Common reasons include replacing holders who have left the vehicle through mergers, size changes or poor performance; increasing competition for orders; adding capacity in a pool that has become thin; and bringing in more small businesses in a particular socioeconomic category. Size matters in particular. When small business holders outgrow their status or are acquired, a small business pool can shrink, and an on-ramp is one way to refill it.
How is an on-ramp competition run?
Usually much like the original competition, sometimes with a narrower scope. The agency issues a solicitation, often on sam.gov, with evaluation criteria that may include relevant experience, past performance, technical capability, business systems and certifications, and price or rates. Some vehicles use a self-scoring approach, in which offerors claim points for specific credentials and then document them. Others use a more traditional best-value evaluation.
Some programs work differently altogether. The GSA Multiple Award Schedule, for example, generally accepts new offers on a continuing basis rather than through periodic on-ramps.
How do I know one is coming, and how should I prepare?
Watch the vehicle’s program office communications, industry days, special notices on SAM.gov and agency forecasts. Program offices often announce an intent to on-ramp months in advance and may hold industry engagement sessions. Read the original contract’s ordering guide or program materials, where public, to learn what the on-ramp terms say. Current holders, especially your teaming partners, may hear about plans early. Then get ready well before the solicitation appears:
- Study the original evaluation criteria, since on-ramps often reuse them, and identify your gaps now.
- If the vehicle uses self-scoring, collect documentation for every credential you might claim, such as project references, certifications and system approvals.
- Build qualifying past performance, including as a subcontractor on orders under the same vehicle where permitted.
- Confirm that your size status under the vehicle’s NAICS code will hold for the timeline you expect.
- Decide whether to compete alone or through a joint venture or other structure the solicitation allows.
Is winning a spot enough?
No. A place on a vehicle is a license to compete for orders, not a promise of work, and many vehicles guarantee only a small minimum. New holders who succeed usually arrive with relationships in the agencies that use the vehicle and a plan for the first orders they intend to win. The on-ramp gets you in the door; the order competitions decide what comes through it.