Jane Edwards
Kevin Plexico, senior vice president of information solutions at Deltek and a six-time Wash100 awardee, discussed on Federal News Network’s Amtower Off Center podcast about the current administration’s focus on consolidating contracts to streamline the government procurement process and its impact on value-added resellers, or VARs, and small businesses.
Plexico told podcast host Mark Amtower that one of the executive orders puts the General Services Administration in a “catbird spot” when it comes to deciding how to proceed with governmentwide acquisition contracts, or GWACs, and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts.
In March, President Trump signed the EO calling for the consolidation of federal procurement of goods and services within GSA to eliminate waste and duplication.
Deltek Executive on VARs, OEMs
During the podcast, the senior VP noted that the administration plans to cut out the middlemen like VARs by encouraging original equipment manufacturers to sell directly to the government. However, many OEMs prefer working through VARs due to contracting challenges.
“But the challenge I think is … a lot of these companies that are selling through those VARs, they don’t they don’t want their own contracts. They don’t want to go through the work of getting a GSA schedule because it’s a pain in the neck. It’s time consuming. It’s laborious to maintain it even on an ongoing basis,” Plexico said of OEMs.
Category Management, GWAC Consolidation
He stated that the trend of contract consolidation and category management in the government has resulted in fewer prime contractors, impacting small businesses.
“These large IDIQs and GWACs really have raised the bar on what it takes for a small business to win a prime contract. And it’s sort of like if you don’t win one of those, then you’re gonna be hard for an agency to get to. So I worry that the, the desire to increase opportunity and access for small businesses runs afoul when it runs into this collision course of consolidation of GWACs and IDIQs for the sake of driving efficiency of spending,” Plexico said.
He called on agencies like GSA and the Office of Management and Budget to strike a balance between driving efficiency and providing contracting opportunities for small businesses.
Plexico on SEWP VI
One of the GWACs under review is the sixth iteration of NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement, or SEWP VI. When asked about its future, the Deltek executive said he believes SEWP VI will survive.
“I’m a believer that SEWP VI and logic and reason are gonna prevail, and it’s gonna be a really successful follow on. It serves a unique purpose, and I think it’s been very successful for a reason. It’s favored by agencies and vendors. It serves a lot of interest on both sides,” Plexico, a 2025 Wash100 awardee, stated.
Proactive Steps GovCon Firms Should Take
When Amtower asked about the proactive steps GovCon firms should take to maintain or grow market share, Plexico said companies should think about the messaging of their offerings and tailor that to the current administration’s priorities.
The GovCon Expert also urged companies to identify opportunity areas in the government and advance the adoption of artificial intelligence, automation and other technologies.
