Contracting Cone

Contracting Scenarios
Supplies/Commodities
Non-Developmental Item/COTS
Non-Commercial Products/Services
IT Hardware
IT Services
Advisory & Assistance Services (A&AS)
Other Services
Information/Business Systems
Major System Development
Major System Upgrades
Software Development
Research & Development (R&D) Studies
Prototyping
Construction
Urgent Needs

What Are You Contracting For?

To help narrow the potential contract strategies, the following are common scenarios for DoD acquisitions. For each scenario, click on the scenario link to see a handful of common contracting strategies identified to explore first. This list of scenarios and accompanying common contracting strategies for each are not all inclusive, but serve as a starting point to help guide you in shaping your contract strategies.

 

Scenario                                            Description
Supplies/Commodities Basic commercial items such as office supplies, furniture, machinery, hardware/tools, fuel, etc.
Non-Developmental Item (NDI)/Commercial off-the-Shelf (COTS) Solutions previously developed exclusively for government use and purchased without or with minor modifications (NDI), or minor modifications to COTS solutions (for which vendor retains property rights for COTS solutions) such as such as aircraft platforms, military weapons, military personal protective equipment, and rescue equipment
Non-Commercial Products/Services Solutions not available commercially and developed specifically for government that do not meet the definition of commercial items such as tactical gear, weapons, military training courses, etc.
IT Hardware Hardware components not part of a major system or incidental to software development such as computers and laptops, monitors, keyboards, fiber optic equipment, routers, modems, phones, etc.
IT Services Network services/support, help desk services, cloud solutions/services, “as-a-Service” solutions, cyber security/IT security services, IT consulting/planning, software licensing agreements, hardware services, satellite services and telecommunications, wireless, mobility, etc.
Advisory & Assistance Services (A&AS) Technical expertise to provide program support, professional services, engineering technical services that improve policy making, decision-making, management, administration, program management, or research and development activities.
Other Services Training, physical security, maintenance, janitorial, logistics, etc.
Information/Business Systems Development of information systems (not including national security systems) such as financial systems, IT systems, and healthcare IT systems, used to support business activities such as acquisition, financial management, logistics, budgeting, installations and environment, and human resource management
Major System Development Design and development of major systems to include major defense acquisition program (MDAP) systems or subsystems (including national security business systems) supporting military combat utility such as C4I systems, aircraft, ships, ground systems, missile and munitions systems, space systems, etc., acquired under FAR Part 34
Major System Upgrades/ Modernization Modernization and technology enhancements of existing defense acquisition systems such as modifications to subsystems of aircraft, ships, etc.
Software Development Design and development of applications and software not part of a defense business system or weapons system
Research & Development (R&D) Studies Research to explore technological and innovative solutions; improve existing products or develop new products
Prototyping Proof of concept hardware/software, a pilot, an innovative application of commercial technologies for defense purposes, a creation, processes, design, development, or demonstration of technical/operational utility
Construction Construction materials and services, to include requirements acquired under FAR Part 36
Urgent Needs Supply, product, or service in support of a contingency operation (to include national disaster response) or humanitarian/peacekeeping operation or solutions necessary to address a critical gap in an operational need (UON/JUON/JEON)