The General Services Administration (GSA) has initiated the research phase for the recompete of the USA Hire contract, a significant project aimed at enhancing human resources support for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This recompete could see the contract value soar to $750 million over the next eight years, marking one of the largest acquisitions GSA has undertaken to date.
The current USA Hire contract, managed by OPM, was awarded to Personnel Decisions Research Institutes in January 2021 at a ceiling value of $210.7 million. Since then, OPM has obligated $125.5 million of that amount, as indicated by Deltek data. The upcoming follow-on contract is expected to encompass a wider scope, as suggested by solicitation documents released on Thursday.
GSA’s request for information (RFI) does not explicitly state whether the USA Hire contract will remain a single award. However, the language used implies that it may. The RFI mentions “the contractor” and “an industry partner,” suggesting a streamlined collaboration. GSA states, “The project manager shall be a single point of contact for the contracting officer and the OPM technical point of contact and serve as the integrator for all engagements.”
This new contract aligns with initiatives such as the Chance to Compete Act and executive orders from the Trump administration. OPM is also seeking support for directives like the Merit Hiring Plan, which emphasizes skill-based assessments and centralizes hiring processes across federal agencies. Currently, only 20 percent of hiring in the federal government goes through OPM, indicating a significant opportunity for improvement.
The new USA Hire contract will be responsible for managing millions of job applicants. GSA is actively looking for an industry partner capable of delivering online assessments efficiently and effectively across the federal government. This includes the need for psychometric expertise to create robust online assessments that can scale with demand.
Additionally, the contract aims to incorporate more artificial intelligence (AI) as an assessment tool to enhance performance and mitigate issues related to unfair advantages, such as applicants using AI. GSA has highlighted the need for a scalable solution that can adapt to expected growth and surges in applicant volume.
Responses to the RFI are due by October 8, 2023, with GSA planning one-on-one meetings for interested parties on October 22 and 23, 2023. As the procurement process unfolds, the implications of this contract could reshape how federal hiring is conducted, reinforcing a trend towards more technology-driven and efficient recruitment methods.
