DHS Outlines Plans for New EAGLE Set-Aside The Homeland Security Department is asking for industry comment on its acquisition plan for the EAGLE II set-aside contract for IT services. The multiple award, IDIQ contract will be a companion to the existing EAGLE vehicle, a partial set-aside. DHS says nine of the original 28 small businesses on EAGLE have been acquired by larger firms, and the department expects that the remaining 19 vendors will outgrow their size standards by the time options are exercised in 2011. DHS is asking for comment on two alternative approaches to the new EAGLE II. One approach would create separate pools of small, 8(a), HUBZone and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and task orders would be competed within each pool. The other approach would set aside different functional categories for each different category of small businesses. Market research would determine which small business category would be targeted in each functional category. The five functional categories are: Custom Computer Programming Services (NAICS 541511); Computer Systems Design Services (NAICS 541512); Computer Facilities Management Services (NAICS 541513); Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (NAICS 518210); and Wired Telecommunications Carriers (NAICS 517110) DHS plans to use a two-phase award process, “where phase 1 will evaluate vendors on a fairly limited basis short of full proposals such as capability statements and phase 2 would be full proposals including price for those small businesses invited to continue to phase 2,” according to the RFI. In outlining plans for the new contract in December, DHS’s director of procurement operations, Soraya Correa, said, “Our concept in EAGLE II is to attract and retain the best and brightest small technology products and services that we need to the Department of Homeland Security.” (SAA, 12/19/08) Department officials have declined to say when the RFP will be issued or how many contracts might be awarded. The RFI is DHSEAGLE2, released on FedBizOpps Feb. 10. Responses are due Feb. 25.