$50B CIO-SP4 GWAC evaluations still on ice as shutdown hampered efforts

Updated December 1, 2025

4 years after it was supposed to have been awarded, the billion-dollar blunder bumbles on … It is NOT Groundhog day yet, but a new status update brings some familiar language from NITAAC AND some *new* information.

[This time] “There is good cause for an extension of the remand period. During the past sixty days, the agency was significantly impacted by the lapse in appropriations.”

Earlier today NITAAC has asked that the remand period be extended by an additional 60 days, to and including January 30, 2026. As part of the continuation of the remand, the bridge contracts on the current CIO-SP3 contracts have been extended through the period of the remand.

OS Take: Does this mean this will be resolved in 60 days? Maybe. They are inching closer. Does this mean a new award decision will be announced soon? if GSA does not shut it down, possibly. Will a new award solve the inherent problems that have plagued this procurement. Unlikely. Our magic 8 ball says that another extended round of protests is likely if and when NITAAC makes a new award. Until then, NITAAC will continue to push this contract as viable and make awards, as that is how they pay their bills. Does GSA need CIO-SP4? Unclear. If Polaris and OASIS are live, it is unclear how CIO-SP4 fits in.

For reference sake – Known active protests of today: Futron Incorporated; Objective Function Systems, LLC; RCHP, LLC; VetsConnect, LLC; HagerV3, LLC; Dfuse Technologies; Inc; Systems Plus, Inc.; Trigent Solutions Inc.; Audacious Inquiry, LLC; Harmonia Holdings Group, LLC; Golden IT, LLC; Digital Management, LLC; Trillion ERP Venture Tech LLC; Ark Infotech LLC; Vinsys-Radiant, LLC; Vinsys-Pyramid, LLC; Vinsys-IT Hub, LLC; Sehmi Enterprises, Inc.; Global InfoTek, Inc.; Cybermedia Technologies, Inc.; Aspire Informatics, LLC; Axiom Consultants, Inc.; Global Consulting International, Inc.; Mindboard, Inc.; Ambient Health Information Technology, LLC; Computer Integration and Programming Solutions, LLC; M & M Technical Services, Inc.; RemedyBiz, Inc., Astor & Sanders Corporation; DevTech Systems, Inc.; Optimal Solutions, Inc.; A Square Group LLC; Sky Solutions, LLC, Analytica, LLC, Mission 1st Group, Inc., Xfinion, Inc., and Coretek Consulting, LLC

---

Updated September 30, 2025

NITAAC asked earlier today to ‘extend the remand period by 60 days, to and including November 29, 2025″ stating: “This is our fourth request to extend the remand period; the Court previously extended the remand period by 90 days. The Court previously granted our three motions for an extension of the remand by 100 days, 60 days, and 60 days.”

But this time they state that there is “good cause” for an extension of the remand period. They shared earlier today that in spite of the remand period being currently scheduled to end on September 30, 2025, they are making “substantial progress”. Progress you say? Well – Word is that the new source selection authority (SSA) has finally received his official appointment and is available to review the evaluation documentation. Meanwhile, the agency’s contractor staff has completed its evaluation of the offerors and is in the process of finalizing its ad hoc reports. The agency needs “at least four additional weeks to complete these reports”.

Next Steps – Once these reports are completed, the agency staff can make cutline recommendation and prepare the evaluation documentation for review by the SSA. The SSA will then need time to review these materials and provide a decision on the Phase I offerors.

Does this mean that CIO-SP4 will be awarded and post protests any time soon? If their track record is any indication (not to mention the prevailing winds out of GSA), it is still unlikely, but stranger things have happened of late. If it does get ‘awarded’, another rounds of protests is likely to follow. (unless they award to everyone).

In the meantime, NITAAC will continue marketing CIO-SP3 and CIO-SP3 SB as hard as they can, so they can have revenue to pay their salaries while GSA evaluates what box this vehicle will check that they don’t already have covered in spades.

Of Note: As part of the continuation of the remand, the agency will extend the bridge contracts on the current CIO-SP4 contracts through the period of the remand.

---

Updated September 5, 2025

The billion-dollar blunder bumbles on … Yes, another day brings familiar language from NITAAC.

NITAAC shared earlier today that in spite of the remand period being currently scheduled to end on September 30, 2025, they are making “substantial progress”.

“The agency is still evaluating the impact of several executive orders issued by the President … Further, the agency has completed its phase 1 reevaluation and is working on the supporting documentation. Once these documents have been finalized, they must be reviewed by the new source selection authority (SSA) for approval and final issuance. Due to recent reorganization and personnel shortages at the National Institutes of Health, the agency is still waiting for the appointment of the new SSA. This appointment will be required to issue a final source selection decision. Thus, while the agency has not yet completed the remand and issued a new decision, it has made substantial progress toward a new decision.”

Does this mean that CIO-SP4 will move to a post-award protest any time soon? Highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened of late. In the meantime, NITAAC will continue marketing CIO-SP3 and CIO-SP3 SB as hard as they can, so they can pay their salaries.

---

Updated August 19, 2025

NITAAC shares that while its has not yet completed the remand and issued a new decision, it has made substantial progress toward a new decision. The holdup?

While a new source selection authority (SSA) has reportedly been selected for this procurement, the SSA has NOT yet been officially appointed. This appointment will be required to issue a final source selection decision.

NITAAC asked for additional time earlier this Summer – and they were told September 30, 2025. If GSA has not canceled the solicitation by then, we expect to see another delay announced in early October. Even if an award is made, the likelihood of a new round of protests is very high.

---

Updated July 7, 2025

The billion-dollar blunder bumbles on … Yes, another day brings familiar word of more delay from NITAAC. The story has not changed much from May of 2025 (or 2024 or 2023 …). For now the excuse is that several matters have complicated the agency’s review on remand, to include the aforementioned New EOs and RIFs. (see thread below).

NITAAC is asking for an additional 90 days, to and including September 30, 2025. If GSA has not canceled the solicitation by then, we expect to see another delay announced in early October.

---

Updated May 13, 2025

$50B CIO-SP4 GWAC evaluations still on ICE: New EOs and RIFs causing delays

Sent to OrangeSlices this morning: NITAAC is continuing to ask for additional time. According to NIH, the agency’s evaluation IS ongoing, but a multitude of issues continue to complicate the agency’s review.

#1 – The Impact of the Executive Orders – The agency continues to evaluate the impact of several executive orders issued by the President. [Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, Exec. Order No. 14151; Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Exec. Order No. 14173; Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement, Exec. Order 14240]. This process is taking additional time as the agency determines what impact, if any, these orders will have on the cutline determination and the selection of offerors. This review is impacting multiple GWACs at the agency thus redirecting the efforts of the personnel who were working to complete the reevaluation of offerors’ proposals.

#2 – Lack of Capabilities and Capacity due to the RIF – The agency’s review of the allegations presented by the many protestors is taking longer than anticipated due to changes in personnel. There has been a turnover in the source selection authority (SSA) and principal agency counsel. A new SSA has been selected and is reportedly being updated on the procurement, but it is unclear how long that will take.  In addition, the RIF has reduced the number of available personnel to complete the evaluation.

What was notably missing from the announcement: Any mention of the GSA contract consolidation effort.

More to be shared as it is made available.

OS Sponsors who want to track the nitty gritty of the protests can log in below to see the full blow by blow.

---

Updated March 25, 2025

$50B CIO-SP4 GWAC Debacle Deepens – NITAAC Requests More Time Amid Mounting Issues

The update we learned thus afternoon is is Yes, the extra time has been granted. NITAAC has been given until July to try and address or make progress on the many challenges they are grappling with in relation to this high-profile heavily competed and scrutinized procurement.

Does that means that this will be resolved by July – the likelihood is near zero. That is simply when they are expected to provide a status update. The real question is whether the new administration will step in and stop this once and for all, especially in light of the recent announcement that much contracting activity will be consolidated under GSA.

---

Added March 25, 2025

… nearly a billion dollars has been spent by government and industry in pursuit of this GWAC … Four years in, the list of issues is growing, not shrinking…

The number of challenges mount as HHS and NITAAC work to review and address the many significant issues raised as part of a string of protests. OrangeSlices has learned that HHS and NITAAC have recently made the case that they need more time … and yet nearly 4 years after the solicitation was released and after it is estimated that nearly a billion dollars has been spent by government and industry in pursuit of this GWAC, the list of issues is only growing, not shrinking.

According to HHS, several NEW matters have complicated the agency’s review on remand. First, a change in Administration and recent Executive Orders issued by President Trump have potentially impacted the agency’s evaluation including Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, Exec. Order No. 14151 and Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, Exec. Order No. 14173.

Specifically, the original source selection cutline determination relied in part upon Executive Orders that were rescinded by President Trump.

The agency has stated that they are in the process of determining what impact, if any, this has on the cutline determination, but believes that they will be required to address this change in policy in a new source selection cutline determination. However, the former source selection authority retired, and agency restructuring mandated as part of the new Administration has delayed the appointment of a new source selection authority. A new determination cannot be made until a new source selection authority is appointed.

In addition, funding has been delayed by the new Administration for the support contract that provides the administration and maintenance of the source selection tool repository, which is critical to the agency’s review on remand.

These changes are in addition to the many ongoing and existing challenges that a slew of protestors have raised and have yet to be addressed.

This does not mention the new executive order that is intended to eliminate waste and save taxpayer dollars by consolidating procurement.

Will the request by NITAAC  be granted? There is no word yet, but we will share more as we gain insight.

---

Updated February 24, 2025

????OS AI Premium: New player jumps in the mix on $50B CIO-SP4 GWAC as protest saga continues

We won’t try and speculate the WHY, but we share here that a new challenger has jumped into the mix. Details Below.