Volume 55

In This Week's Newsletter:

• Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: Alliant 3 - Unrestricted

• Four To Follow: Get the lowdown on four interesting pursuits!

• AI Corner: What Does the Term RAG Model Mean?

Alliant 3 - Unrestricted

Contact Len: len.miller@hinzconsulting.com

The GSA Contracting Officer issued an amendment to Alliant 3 on December 2. This Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) IDIQ has an estimated value of $75 billion. Proposals are due by February 3, 2025 at 4PM EST. Call Hinz Consulting if you need proposal support!

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Four to Follow:

1. Artificial Intelligence and Software at Pace (AIS@P) Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC): The Army Contracting Command (ACC) - Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and Program Executive Office Intelligence Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S) released the RFI Survey Form and the Draft PWS on November 27 with a full Draft RFP planned for release within the next two weeks. Responses to the Draft PWS and RFI survey form are requested soon as ACC-APG/PEO IEW&S are planning for an Industry Day on January 7, 2025. This planned contract vehicle will include two vendor pools: one for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and one for Software Development.

2. Controller Training Solutions II (CTS II): The FAA Contracting Office released a RFI/Market Survey via SAM.gov on December 2 for this upcoming recompete currently held by SAIC. This estimated $653M Agency/IDIQ contract is responsible for training of Air Traffic Controllers with work focused in 6 areas: Program Management; Training Support at the FAA Academy and at the ATC Facilities; Training Development, Maintenance, and Revisions; Air Traffic Training Program Support; Administrative Support; and Innovation Support. The RFI/Market Survey package includes the Market Survey Announcement, a draft SOW, and a Questions and Feedback Template for potential offerors to provide useful feedback along with the required Capability Statements. SMALL BUSINESSES TAKE NOTE: This Market Survey response is being used "to determine whether adequate competition exists to set aside the competition among small businesses or a small business socioeconomic category" per the Announcement. The NAICS code for this requirement is 611430: Professional Development Training with a small business size standard of $15M. Responses are due by January 8, 2025 at 10 PM EST. The estimated timeline for the RFP release is sometime in April 2026 but this date is subject to change.

3. Special Operations Forces Global Logistics Support Services (SOFGLSS): This effort is a recompete of the current GLSS contract held by Lockheed Martin. The new contract has an estimated total value of $12B. SOCOM currently estimates releasing the solicitation in October 2025.

4. NASA SEWP VI: NASA released its fourth batch of Q&A on December 2, which includes 555 responses. The contracting office anticipates releasing additional responses "in the near future" per the update provided in the SEWP VI SAM.gov posting. Will this gift ever be ready to open? Proposals are still currently due January 30, 2025 by 1 PM EST.

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What Does the Term RAG Model Mean?

Contact Josh: josh.thiel@hinzconsulting.com

In the era of AI, understanding different models and techniques is crucial because they shape how we interact with technology and how technology serves us. One such model is the Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) model, which is particularly important because it enhances the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated responses. By knowing how a RAG model works, individuals and businesses can better appreciate the capabilities and limitations of AI, leading to more informed decisions about its use and integration into various applications.

A RAG model combines two powerful techniques to provide more accurate and relevant answers. Imagine you have a huge library of books and documents. When you ask a question, the RAG model first searches through this library to find the most relevant information (this is the "retrieval" part). It then uses this information to generate a detailed and accurate response (this is the "generation" part). This approach helps the AI provide answers that are not only based on its training but also on the most up-to-date and specific information available.

In simpler terms, think of a RAG model as a super-smart assistant. When you ask it something, it doesn't just rely on what it already knows. Instead, it quickly looks up the best information from a vast collection of sources and then uses that information to give you a well-informed answer. This makes the responses more reliable and tailored to your specific question, much like how a knowledgeable friend would help you by checking the latest facts before giving you advice.

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• Dec. 5: APMP-NCA’s Fireside Chat with Eric Gregory in Fairfax, VA 

• Dec. 11: GovExec’s Future of Federal IT in Washington, DC 

• Dec. 12: AFCEA DC Winter Gala in Washington, DC 

• Dec. 13: AFCEA NOVA Air Forces IT Day in Arlington, VA

• Jan. 17: Army IT Day in McClean, VA

• Jan. 28-29: Health IT Summit in Washington, DC

• Feb. 11-13: National Small Business Conference in New Orleans, LA

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About Hinz Consulting

Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:

• Proposal Consulting

• AI Services

• Strategic Pricing

• Training

• Capture

• Competitive Intelligence

• BD Transformation Consulting

• Process/Methodology Consulting

• Tools and Templates

• Production Services

• Small Business