DISA seeks industry input on CommandNet migration following GAO protest
The Defense Information Systems Agency is conducting market research on its planned CommandNet migration weeks after General Dynamics Information Technology protested the agency’s decision to award the work without holding a competition.
A sources-sought notice posted to Sam.gov on July 27 is requesting industry feedback on the CommandNet effort — which aims to move users across all 11 combatant commands to a single, DISA-managed IT architecture known as DODNet by fiscal 2028. Interested companies are being asked to submit their technical approach, transition plans, cost estimates and relevant past performance.
DISA first announced CommandNet last year as an effort to consolidate disparate, geographically-isolated networks into an agency-managed enterprise architecture. A May memorandum from Pentagon Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies directed the agency to migrate all CoCom common-use unclassified and classified services to DODNet by the end of FY28 — expanding the agency’s ongoing enterprise IT modernization across the Pentagon.
Each combatant command currently runs and operates its own unique IT infrastructure that segregates users by geographic location and makes collaboration across CoComs inefficient. DISA’s call to industry estimates that at the 11 combatant commands, approximately 231,000 users at 200 sites located around the world will need to be moved to CommandNet.
The work is expected to be completed by September 2028, according to the sources-sought notice. Vendors are required to provide a solution featuring identity and access management (ICAM), zero-trust cybersecurity, infrastructure as code and migration methodologies.
“The government estimates a competitive procurement cycle of approximately 220 days from solicitation release to contract award,” DISA stated. “Responses must detail a realistic, risk-mitigated milestone schedule that fits within this condensed timeline to guarantee full compliance with the September 30, 2028 deadline.”
Industry’s responses to the sources-sought notice are due Aug. 4.
The decision to conduct market research is a notable shift from the agency’s earlier acquisition strategy. In June, DISA announced that it would give a sole-source task order for CommandNet migration to Leidos under the $11.5 billion Defense Enclave Services (DES) contract, which was awarded to the company in 2022 to migrate the Pentagon’s “Fourth Estate” agencies to DODNet.
The DES expansion award was challenged by GDIT in a bid protest filed with the Government Accountability Office on July 10. The protest has since been dismissed following DISA’s new call for market research, and the agency is now asking industry to demonstrate they can overcome the exact reasons DISA previously cited for avoiding competition.
According to DISA’s original justification to sole-source, the existing DES contract was the only viable option for CommandNet because the 2028 deadline left insufficient time to conduct a new competition and transition work to another contractor. Awarding the work under an open competition would “result in substantial duplication of administrative and technical cost, which is not expected to be recovered through competition,” the agency stated.
DISA had also asserted that bringing on a new contractor would require significant time to develop expertise in the DODNet environment, increasing the risk of schedule delays and operational disruption.
But GDIT’s protest disputed these claims, arguing that DISA’s failure to conduct market research led the agency to incorrectly conclude only Leidos could perform the CommandNet migration. Other acquisition strategies and contracting vehicles could support the agency’s requirements and deadline, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“A rushed approach to consolidating combatant command IT needs into the Defense Enclave Service contract really failed to consider faster, cheaper and more effective alternatives to achieve the CIO’s goal,” the source told DefenseScoop. “There was an opportunity to really think about what is the best contracting vehicle given the specific nature of what’s trying to be achieved here.”
In addition, the company’s protest contended that migrating CoCom users to DODNet presents different technical and operational challenges than the Fourth Estate organizations currently transitioning under DES.
Defense agencies and field activities primarily rely on enterprise IT services, while combatant commands support operational missions across multiple environments, security classifications and alliance structures.
“These IT systems are what enable commanders to communicate with warfighters and weapon systems. It’s fundamentally different than the back-office IT — which is very important — that the Defense Enclave Services contract has traditionally been focused on,” the source said.
GDIT further argued that DISA overstated Leidos’ performance on the DES contract. In its justification document, the agency cites the company’s migration of around 40,000 users in the last four years as proof it is the only vendor qualified for the work. However, DISA’s solicitation for the DES contract required the prime contractor to migrate at least 370,000 Fourth Estate users to DODNet.
In a statement, Leidos said it is focused on continuing its work to migrate Fourth Estate users to DODNet.
“We have migrated more than 40,000 users to the DoDNet environment since 2022 and believe our in-depth experience with the architecture, migration processes and technical baseline will allow us to transition combatant commands effectively and rapidly,” a spokesperson told DefenseScoop. “We will continue working alongside DISA to support the agency’s operations and enhance mission readiness.”
GDIT declined to comment on its protest with GAO and the newly posted sources-sought notice. DISA did not respond to DefenseScoop’s multiple requests for comment.
