Key takeaways
- Most federal IT and professional services money now flows through a handful of GSA and NASA vehicles.
- GSA's Alliant 3 opened for orders March 10, 2026, and NASA's SEWP VI ordering period began Nov. 1, 2026.
- NIH's NITAAC contracts, including CIO-SP3, stopped taking new orders Oct. 29, 2026, after the CIO-SP4 follow-on was canceled.
- OASIS+ is continuously open to new proposals, and the GSA Schedule accepts offers year-round.
Contract vehicles are pre-competed contracts that agencies use to buy faster. If you aren't on the vehicle an agency uses, you usually can't bid as a prime. This directory covers the major governmentwide vehicles and where each stands.
Major federal contract vehicles
| Vehicle | Managed by | Type | What it buys | Status, Nov. 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) | GSA | Schedule | Products and services across most categories, including IT, professional services, facilities and security | Open continuously to new offers; state and local governments can use parts of it through GSA cooperative purchasing programs |
| Alliant 3 | GSA | GWAC, unrestricted | Enterprise IT services | Phase one awards Feb. 20, 2026, to 43 companies, with up to 76 planned; ordering opened March 10, 2026; no ceiling; ordering through March 9, 2031, with an option to 2036 |
| Polaris | GSA | GWAC, small business pools | IT services, including emerging technology | Awarded; the women-owned pool's base ordering period runs March 9, 2026, to March 8, 2031; no ceiling |
| 8(a) STARS III | GSA | GWAC, 8(a) firms | IT services | 154 active contract holders after the option period was exercised; ordering through July 2029 |
| VETS 2 | GSA | GWAC, service-disabled veteran-owned firms | IT services | Runs through February 2028; ceiling raised to $6.1 billion; Polaris' veteran-owned pool is expected to succeed it |
| OASIS+ | GSA | IDIQ, unrestricted and small business pools | Professional services, including management, engineering and logistics | All six solicitations continuously open to new proposals since Jan. 12, 2026; replaced OASIS, BMO and HCaTS |
| SEWP VI | NASA | GWAC | IT products and product-based services | About 2,100 awards announced in June 2026; $60 billion ceiling; ordering period Nov. 1, 2026, to Oct. 31, 2036. SEWP V remains available while NASA transitions |
| CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 Small Business and CIO-CS | NIH (NITAAC) | GWAC | Health IT and IT services and products | No new orders after Oct. 29, 2026; existing orders can run through Dec. 31, 2028. The planned CIO-SP4 follow-on was canceled in early 2026 |
Sources: GSA solicitation notices and ordering guides; Washington Technology, Nextgov, Federal News Network, ExecutiveGov and MeriTalk reporting, February to August 2026; NASA SEWP program site; NITAAC notice on CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 SB and CIO-CS. Dates and counts change as vehicles add or remove contract holders.
Why vehicles are consolidating
- Executive Order 14240. A March 2025 order directed agencies to consolidate buying of common goods and services, much of it through GSA.
- Fewer agency-run vehicles. NIH's NITAAC is winding down its governmentwide contracts and plans to close program operations by the end of 2028, with future work expected to move to GSA vehicles.
- More weight on GSA. GSA's Schedule, Alliant 3, Polaris, OASIS+ and its small business GWACs are now the main entry points for many agencies.
- Agency exceptions remain. Some departments still run their own large contracts, such as the Army's planned $50 billion MAPS contract.
How to choose a vehicle
- Start with the GSA Schedule. It's open year-round, covers most categories and is often the fastest way onto a vehicle agencies already use.
- Match your set-aside status. 8(a) STARS III, VETS 2 and Polaris pools are limited to qualifying small businesses.
- Follow your buyers. Check which vehicles your target agencies used for past awards in your NAICS codes, and read their procurement forecasts.
- Team when a vehicle is closed. If an on-ramp isn't open, subcontracting to a current holder lets you perform work and build past performance.
How KSG helps
Kensington Sales Group's SDRs book meetings with public agencies across Federal, SLED, K-12 & Higher Ed, Healthcare, Tribal, Special Districts and Utilities. We help vehicle holders reach the program offices that order through them, and help companies off a vehicle find primes to team with. See how our federal sales development works.
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