GWAC (Government-Wide Acquisition Contract) · GSA Small Business IT GWAC
8(a) STARS III
Managed by General Services Administration (GSA)
8(a) STARS III is GSA's dedicated small business IT GWAC, providing government-wide access to IT services, solutions, and emerging technologies from small businesses. STARS III provides agencies with a fast, streamlined path to IT task orders, all through small businesses. It has three functional areas covering IT services, solutions, and emerging technologies, and is Best-In-Class (BIC) designated by OMB.
$5B+
Annual Spend
$15B
Ceiling
10 years
Contract Term
General Services Administration
Managed By
8(a) STARS III Contract Pools
Competition pools and socioeconomic set-aside categories within 8(a) STARS III.
Small Business Pool (Unrestricted)
SBAll STARS III holders compete across this pool, no specific SBA certification required beyond SB status.
8(a) Set-Aside Pool
8(a)Agencies can restrict competition further to only 8(a)-certified firms within STARS III for sole-source and competitive 8(a) task orders.
HUBZone Set-Aside Pool
HUBZoneHUBZone-certified STARS III holders can receive set-aside task orders restricted to HUBZone companies.
SDVOSB Set-Aside Pool
SDVOSBService-disabled veteran-owned STARS III holders compete under SDVOSB-restricted task orders.
WOSB Set-Aside Pool
WOSBWomen-owned small businesses within STARS III receiving task orders restricted to WOSB-certified firms.
8(a) STARS III Task Areas & Service Scope
The functional task areas and service categories that define what can be ordered through 8(a) STARS III.
IT Services
FA1IT help desk, systems administration, program management, IT consulting, and end-user support
IT Solutions
FA2Systems development, software development, cybersecurity, system integration, and IT modernization
Emerging Technology
FA3AI/ML, blockchain, robotic process automation (RPA), edge computing, and emerging technology services
8(a) STARS III Market Context
Why 8(a) STARS III matters in the federal contracting landscape and its role in agency acquisition strategy.
8(a) STARS III is one of the federal government's most heavily used small business IT vehicles, reflecting the government-wide policy priority of directing IT spending to small businesses. The vehicle is Best-in-Class (BIC), giving agencies a strong incentive to use it over agency-specific IDIQs. Nearly every federal civilian agency has tapped STARS III for cloud migration, application development, cybersecurity, and IT support services, creating a broad and consistent addressable market for qualifying small businesses across all IT disciplines.
How 8(a) STARS III Task Orders Work
Step-by-step: how agencies issue task orders through 8(a) STARS III and what contract holders need to do to compete.
- 1Agency confirms the IT requirement falls within STARS III functional areas (FA1: IT Services for Systems, FA2: IT Services for Health IT, FA3: Emerging Technology) and selects the relevant functional area.
- 2Agency determines the competition scope, full STARS III competition, socioeconomic set-aside (e.g., 8(a)-specific), or sole-source for qualifying small 8(a) awards below thresholds.
- 3Agency prepares an RFP or streamlined RFQ and posts it to GSA eBuy, alerting all STARS III holders in the selected functional area.
- 4STARS III holders respond with technical proposals and pricing; agencies evaluate on best-value criteria (technical + price) or LPTA.
- 5Agency awards the task order and funds it from its IT budget; the task order value counts against STARS III's $15B ceiling.
Key Facts, 8(a) STARS III
Important market intelligence for federal contractors pursuing 8(a) STARS III task orders.
- 1$15B ceiling and approximately $5B+ in annual task order volume
- 2Restricted to SBA small businesses, all orders are de facto small business set-asides
- 3Best-In-Class (BIC) designated, agencies are encouraged to use STARS III first for small business IT
- 4STARS III IT functional areas are broader than STARS II, more opportunities to compete
- 5Open to all federal civilian agencies and authorized DoD components
- 6New entrants can compete for task orders immediately upon contract award
Eligibility & Requirements, 8(a) STARS III
What is required to hold a 8(a) STARS III contract and compete for task orders.
- ✓Company must qualify as a small business under the applicable SBA size standard at time of award
- ✓Must have at least one NAICS code aligned with the proposed functional area
- ✓Demonstrated past performance in IT services or solutions relevant to the functional area proposed
- ✓Must be an active contract holder, new awards under STARS III are required to compete for task orders
- ✓Additional socioeconomic certifications (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB) required to compete in the corresponding set-aside pool
- ✓Must maintain SAM.gov active registration and small business size standard throughout the ordering period
Top Agency Buyers, 8(a) STARS III
Federal agencies that most actively order through 8(a) STARS III. Understanding these buyers is essential for targeted capture and business development.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
DHS and its components (CBP, ICE, TSA, FEMA, USCG) are among the most active STARS III buyers for cybersecurity, cloud, and application development services.
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
HHS components including CMS and NIH regularly use STARS III for health IT modernization, enterprise systems, and data analytics services.
Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian
DoD civilian components and OSD use STARS III for IT services requirements that meet BIC policy requirements for small business competition.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
SSA is a consistent STARS III buyer for IT modernization programs supporting its massive benefit processing infrastructure.
Department of Justice (DoJ)
DoJ components use STARS III for IT application development, cloud services, and cybersecurity support across law enforcement and administrative operations.
Strategies for Winning 8(a) STARS III Task Orders
Practical tactics for maximizing your success as a 8(a) STARS III contract holder.
- 1Position around FA3 (Emerging Technology) if you deliver AI, RPA, or cybersecurity capabilities, agencies are rapidly increasing spend in these areas.
- 2STARS III civilian agency spending is heavily concentrated in DHS, DoD civilians, HHS, and VA, target these agencies for task order relationships.
- 3Combine your STARS III contract with OASIS+ SB for professional services coverage, agencies often prefer vendors holding multiple vehicles.
- 4Pursue sub-pool certifications (HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB) while on STARS III to capture set-aside task orders with less competition.
- 5Review USASpending for expiring STARS II task orders, many will be re-competed as STARS III task orders, giving you a predictable pipeline.
- 6Mentor-protégé JVs are eligible to compete for STARS III task orders, use this to grow your team's IT depth without headcount costs.
SamSearch Platform
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Frequently Asked Questions, 8(a) STARS III
Common questions about 8(a) STARS III including pools, eligibility, ordering process, and task order strategies.