Q&A on ADMC-3 with CHESS product lead Wayne Sok

As the primary source for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) IT hardware and software, and the preferred source for IT services, PEO EIS’s Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) product office offers a number of established indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts that allow for a faster, no-fee acquisition for the Army. Among the CHESS suite of contracts is the newly awarded Army Desktop Mobile Computing - 3 (ADMC-3). Wayne Sok, product lead for CHESS, gives insight into the third iteration of this hardware-focused vehicle and how it ensures Army customers are able to procure the newest technology as it hits the market.

Q: What is ADMC-3, and how is it going to support the Army?

A: ADMC-3 is a 10-year, $5 billion, firm-fixed-price, ID/IQ contract vehicle and is a mandatory source for the Army. It provides customers with enterprise-wide hardware, while ensuring standardized interfaces for the Army. Commodities purchases include COTS desktops, notebooks, tablets, thin and ultra-thin client’s multifunction devices, electronic displays and more. ADMC-3 is designed to increase security and keep pace with rapid innovations to help get the latest and greatest technology to Soldiers when they need it.

Q: Why does the Army need its own hardware vehicle when others (GSA, SEWP, etc.) exist?

A: The Army has a different mission in a different environment than the rest of the federal government, and ADMC-3 supports that. ADMC-3 is tailored to the Army’s unique requirements and has Army standards and policies built into the base contract, whereas other contract vehicles do not. The Army needs to partner with companies that can both provide hardware solutions and deliver and support those solutions across the world. Additionally, CHESS hardware vehicles provide Army customers with flexibility and timely technology refreshes, all with no usage fees.  As the Army’s main enabler for accountability of COTS IT resources, CHESS simplifies organizations’ aggregation of desktop and notebook purchases to achieve the best possible volume discount.

Q: How does ADMC-3 differ from other federal hardware contract vehicles?

A: The focus of ADMC-3 is on satisfying Army requirements and initiatives. Contracting officers and requiring activities will notice the contract vehicle is designed to support their missions, while its use also complies with Army policy. Like all CHESS contracts, ADMC-3 has constraints applying to the Army within the terms and conditions that are embedded in the base contract, whereas other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACS) do not. The ADMC-3 contract is open to all federal and DOD agencies, not just the Army.  Ordering is decentralized, and there is no fee. Decentralized ordering provides more flexibility than other GWACS, and the no-fee feature is a big incentive for customers.

Q: ADMC-3 is considered to be one of the elite level of contracts for implementing category management and is a best-in-class (BIC) solution. How has the contract vehicle evolved to help equip the Army with the latest technology, increase savings, eliminate contract redundancies and meet small business goals?

A: ADMC-3 aligns with the Army’s strategic sourcing initiatives and the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) category management and best-in-class (BIC) initiatives. CHESS controls cost growth by consolidating contracts with respect to common requirements, particularly with ADMC-3’s consolidated buy (CB) for common desktop and notebook computers. The CB has long met OMB’s laptop/desktop goals by standardizing common configurations of laptops and desktops, and consolidating them into a single source for the Army. We included government-wide strategic solutions (GSS) categories for laptops and desktops within the standard CB category offerings. CHESS is transparent and works with industry and vendors, ensuring that CHESS customers are provided with the latest and greatest technology. CHESS constantly reviews and updates standard configurations and updates through a continuous refresh cycle. Our vendors continually monitor new technologies and refresh their catalog product offerings throughout the life of the contract, allowing CHESS to stay on top of an evolving IT world and to offer our customers the latest and greatest products, at the best value, to the Army.

Q: What about the contract structure makes it a no-fee contract?

A: Like all CHESS contracts, ADMC-3 was stood up for Army users who are mandated to use CHESS and who can realize cost savings right at the start by not having a fee. Since the CHESS program office is funded by the Army, we do not collect a fee to use our contract vehicles. Ordering is decentralized, providing more flexibility than other GWACS, and the no-fee feature is a big incentive for customers. Decentralized ordering streamlines ordering processes for local contracting offices that know their requirements best.

Q: What is the consolidated buy?

A: CHESS implemented the extremely cost-effective CB process, in direct support of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) G-6 strategy for leveraging the Army’s buying power in acquiring COTS computer technology. All desktop and/or notebook computers must be purchased through CHESS during the CB periods, which are planned year-round via the CB compare tool on the CHESS IT E-Mart. The CB provides an additional temporary discount on buys of desktop and notebook computers from ADMC-3 vendors. CHESS works with the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) to ensure specs on computers and category offerings meet current Army and DOD standards. In addition, ADMC-3, like all CHESS contracts, directly supports Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) CIO Information Technology Investment Accountability policy with implementing accountability reform to improve the Army’s ability to see, assess, redirect and control IT resources.

Q: What is the difference between ADMC-3 and its predecessor, ADMC-2?

A: The biggest difference is that ADMC-3 offers three, 4-month CBs a year, as opposed to the twice-a-year buy event through ADMC-2. By providing the CB period in consecutive cycles during the year, the contract enables the Army to maximize its cost avoidance, keep pace with technology advancements and help get new technology to Soldiers more efficiently. The product category offerings have changed. ADMC-2 offered 23 categories, including the GSS categories. On ADMC-3, we have included the GSS offerings in the standard category within the 20 categories. Thin clients have been added as an offering in anticipation of the Army cloud computing requirements. Customers now have the option to do small business set-asides at the delivery order level, enabling them to meet their small business participation goals.

Q: What if the product is not available on ADMC-3?

A: Items that are not available through the ADMC-3 contract and that do not fit the requirements for the “Undefined or Within Scope CLINs” within ADMC-3, may be procured through the ITES-3H contract vehicle only after a CB exception memo has been executed. CB exception menu guidance can be found on CHESS IT E-Mart. Ancillary items that are not within scope of ADMC-3 or under the amount of $500 per purchase, such as expendable/miscellaneous supplies (CDs, printer cartridges and so forth) or computer peripheral devices (cables, keyboards, mice and common access card readers), may be procured through the Army Request for Information Technology (ARFIT) approval process (AR 25-1 3-30 (b)(1)). For items under $500, the customer does not need to use CHESS or obtain an information technology approval system (ITAS) waiver. 

Q: Why is ADMC-3 a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) contract vehicle?

A: ADMC-3 is LPTA because it provides commodities and desktop automation; best value isn’t going to help as much here with standardized configurations and commodity replacement.

Q: Is ADMC-3 available on the CHESS Reverse Auction?

A: Yes. The CHESS Reverse Auction tool supports the better buying power and Army initiative to increase competition, drives down total acquisition costs and maximizes cost avoidance to customers. ADMC-3, as well as ITES-SW2 and ITES-3H, are available for use with the reverse auction.

Q: Where can customers find more information about ADMC-3, ordering instructions and the CHESS product office?

A: Contract details, ordering instructions and additional information about CHESS’s hardware, software and services contracts can be found on the CHESS IT E-Mart at https://chess.army.mil.