I am not an Air Force Customer; can I use NETCENTS?
Yes, NETCENTS is a Government-wide ordering contract and is available to Air Force, DoD, and all non-DoD Government Agencies.

Are there any funds-type limitations?
No, all types of funds can be used under NETCENTS.

I have Small Business Goals to meet, can NETCENTS help me?
Yes, NETCENTS was awarded with both Full & Open Competition awards (General Dynamics) and Small Business Awards (NCI). The contract provides for customer selection of limited competition to only those small businesses awardees.

What can I buy under NETCENTS?
The NETCENTS Performance Work Statement provides for a vast array of products and services related to Network Centric Information Technology. This includes computer and network related commercial off the shelf hardware and software, customized development, operations, sustainment and other services.

Can I use a Government Purchase Card to buy products and services?
Yes, Government credit card orders may be placed by the Government for purchases of supplies or services up to the cardholder's credit card purchase limit.

Does NETCENTS offer advantages over a GSA Schedule?
Yes. While the NETCENTS and GSA Schedule 70 IT GWACS are both useful contract vehicles for acquiring IT products and services, the Air Force NETCENTS contracts provide distinct features particularly attractive to many customers.
  • USAF Mandatory Use,
  • Breadth and Depth of the Teams,
  • Quick-turn Order Placement,
  • How Small Business Credits are Handled,
  • Adequate Competition & Ease of Selection
  • Awards are generally non-protestable
  • Multiple contract types allowed (FFP, CR, T&M)
USAF Mandatory Use - The NETCENTS contracts are mandatory use vehicles within the Air Force for all NETCENTRIC IT requirements, hence the $9 Billion ceilings on each contract. What this means is the contracts are going to - over time - become the nearly exclusive source of NETCENTRIC IT solutions for the USAF. This means that USAF customers will not be using GSA IT schedules unless they go through a waiver process. As customers know, a waiver and approval process takes more time, so USAF customers will likely and correctly chose the path of least resistance (NETCENTS) rather than fight the USAF CIO over a waiver to get to a GSA Schedule.

Breadth & Depth of Teams for NETCENTRIC Solutions - The breadth in scope of the NETCENTS contract, and the NCI team of 33 companies means that the NCI NETCENTS Team can accomplish virtually any requirement that relates to Information Technology. For complex requirements, the customer does not have to try to knit together multiple GSA holders (services and products providers) to package the solution. NETCENTS offers a wide range of products not typically found on a GSA Schedule. NETCENTS offers multiple contract types, from labor hour to cost, to fixed price, with provisions for incentive contracting. The scope is so broad that it dwarfs the capabilities found in your typical GSA IT schedule. As such, NCI NETCENTS is a one-shop-stop for Government customers.

Quick-turn Order Placement - The NETCENTS contract permits the customer to place the order directly on the NETCENTS contract. The NETCENTS process includes electronic RFPs and quick turn proposals to make the process easy for the customer. Lead times can be as short as a week to two weeks. Customers can even use the Government Purchase (IMPACT) card. Under NETCENTS the USAF (SSG @ Gunter/Maxwell AFB) will also do the contracting if the customer so desires. Awarding an order on a NETCENTS contract is a simple operation, and the SSG contracting folks want to see their NETCENTS contracts become pre-eminent. They have created a NETCENTS portal available through AFWAY (https://afway.af.mil/) and a Buying Guide to assist customers.

How Small Business Credits are handled - NCI is a small business NETCENTS contract holder, so customers using NCI's NETCENTS contract gain Small Business credits. Under a GSA Schedule, the prime must also be a small business for there to be Small Business credits. Unfortunately, any small business GSA Schedule holder will lack the breadth and depth of capabilities that exist on the NCI NETCENTS Team.

Adequate Competition and Ease of Selection - Under NETCENTS all vendors are assumed to be competitively selected, so use of the contract, like a GSA Schedule, meets the competition and price reasonableness tests that all Government customers must satisfy. Under NETCENTS, if the customer chooses to limit competition to small businesses (there are three others in addition to NCI), then proposals will be solicited from NCI and the other small business teams.

Awards are generally non-protestable - No protest under FAR 33.1 is authorized in connection with the issuance or proposed issuance of an order under a Task Order contract except for a protest on the grounds that the order increases the scope, period or maximum value of the contract.
Multiple contract types allowed (FFP, CR, T&M)- Schedule orders allow for placement of fixed-price, labor-hour and time and materials orders wheras NETCENTS allows for placement of those plus cost-reimbursable tasks.

Where can I get more detailed information about how to use the NETCENTS contract?
The Air Force Buying Guide and NETCENTS website are available in addition to the information found at this site.