Working With RDS Is Easy
Multiple procurement pathways, all veteran-owned set-aside eligible. Your Contracting Officer picks the path that fits your requirement.
Procurement Pathways
Choose the path that fits your requirement. All pathways are available to government Contracting Officers and prime contractor procurement teams.
VOSB Sole Source — VA
Up to $5M (services)
For VA Contracting Officers: no competition required under the VA Vets First Contracting Program. The fastest path for VA buyers to work with RDS. This authority is VA-specific and does not extend to DoD buyers.
Reference: 38 U.S.C. 8127(c)–(d); VAAR Subpart 819.70. Services threshold. RDS is VOSB (non-SDVOSB) — verify status at the SBA VetCert profile.
DoD Small-Business Set-Aside
Competitive or sole source
For DoD buyers including SOCOM, the component commands, and TSOCs: RDS qualifies as a small business at its primary NAICS codes. Eligible for small-business set-aside awards under FAR 19.5 and sole-source small-business awards within statutory thresholds. VOSB socioeconomic credit applies on prime subcontracting plans (FAR 19.704).
Reference: FAR 19.5 small-business set-asides; FAR 19.704 subcontracting plans; SBA size standards at the applicable NAICS.
Simplified Acquisition
Up to $350K
FAR Part 13. Past performance weighted lightly. Ideal for first engagements and architecture sprints.
Reference: FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
Micro-Purchase
Up to $15K
No competition required. Government purchase card. Perfect for a focused architecture assessment or technical review.
Reference: FAR Part 13.2, Micro-Purchase threshold.
Subcontract to Primes
Any value
RDS joins your team as a VOSB subcontractor with architecture-through-code depth. Eleven years of prior Raytheon subcontractor experience via Collaborative Machines LLC (2011–2022). VOSB credit for your subcontracting plan.
Reference: FAR 19.704 small-business subcontracting plan. See Teaming page.
Mentor-Protégé
Tier-1 prime pairings
Roadmap: pursue DoD Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) or SBA All Small pairings with Tier-1 primes in 2026–2027. No MPP agreement in place today. Joint venture eligibility for larger set-aside pursuits once paired.
Reference: DoD MPP; SBA All Small Mentor-Protégé Program.
Labor Categories We Fill
Detailed rates available under NDA or teaming agreement.
| Labor Category | Alignment |
|---|---|
| Enterprise Architect (III/IV) | TOGAF ADM, DoDAF, UAF, governance |
| Systems Engineer (II/III) | SysML v2, MBSE, SoS, requirements traceability per IEEE 29148 |
| Software Developer (II/III) | Python, FastAPI, React, TypeScript, PostgreSQL |
| AI/ML Engineer (II/III) | Multi-agent orchestration, LLM integration, RAG |
| Solution Architect (III) | Integration design, cloud architecture, DevSecOps |
| Program / Project Manager (III/IV) | IMS, WBS, EVM (ANSI/EIA-748), risk, subcontractor oversight, SAFe/Agile/Waterfall, SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR |
| Technical Lead (III/IV) | Multi-discipline technical direction, architecture decision authority, design-review facilitation, engineering standards |
| Accessibility / Section 508 Test Engineer (II/III) | Section 508 / 36 CFR 1194 conformance, WCAG 2.1 AA, VPAT/ACR authoring, automated and assistive-technology validation (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) |
VA Readiness
RDS is an SBA-certified VOSB (non-SDVOSB) eligible under the Vets First Contracting Program. Our federal compliance stack maps directly to VA requirements, and our engineering practices are built for VA’s accessibility, FISMA, and cloud posture standards.
Contract Types Supported
All major federal contract types supported from day one. DCAA-compliant accounting, timekeeping, and project cost management operational today; SF 1408 Pre-Award Survey ready.
Fixed Firm Price
Defined scope, fixed cost, delivered on schedule. Best for well-scoped architecture assessments, design deliverables, and bounded technical implementations. Our AI-augmented delivery model makes fixed-price viable at program scale.
Time & Materials
Flexible scope for evolving requirements. Senior-level labor categories, no junior staff substitution. Transparent labor-hour billing.
Labor-Hours
Hourly technical expertise for surge support and specialist engagements. Government-defined labor categories. Rate structure available under NDA.
Cost Plus Fixed Fee
Cost-reimbursement for research and development programs where scope and outcomes evolve after award. DCAA-compliant accounting in place.
Cost Plus Award Fee
Cost-reimbursement with performance-based award fee structure. Best for multi-year programs where stakeholder satisfaction and quality metrics drive fee payment.
DFARS 252.234-7002 Earned Value Management System applicable to qualifying contracts. DCAA pre-award survey coordination available on request.
Compliance Posture
CUI and ITAR work supported on our CMMC L2 enclave. No post-award compliance ramp.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact us to discuss your requirement. We respond within one business day with a tailored approach and relevant past performance.
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