If your firm is 8(a) certified and sells information technology services, there is one contract vehicle you should know by name: 8a STARS III. It is GSA’s government-wide acquisition contract reserved exclusively for 8(a) small businesses, and it is the main route through which federal agencies buy IT services from 8(a) firms. Agencies use it because it is fast, pre-competed, and set aside — and 8(a) firms use it because it is the largest single pool of IT work reserved for them.
This guide explains what 8a STARS III is, who qualifies, what services it covers, how task orders work, and how an 8(a) firm positions itself to win — plus how it compares to the other IT vehicles a small firm might pursue.
What Is 8(a) STARS III?
8(a) STARS III — the full name is 8(a) Streamlined Technology Application Resource for Services — is a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract run by GSA. It is a GWAC, which means any federal agency can use it to buy IT services through task orders, and only the contract holders can compete for those orders. The vehicle is reserved entirely for 8(a) firms: every holder is an 8(a)-certified small business, and every task order is an 8(a) set-aside.
The vehicle has a very large ceiling — tens of billions of dollars over its life — and it covers a broad range of IT services, from custom software development and systems design to IT operations, cybersecurity, and data analytics. It replaced the earlier STARS II vehicle, and it is designed to run for many years, with a base period and option periods that extend its life. For an 8(a) IT firm, a place on STARS III is one of the most valuable assets the company can hold.
Who Qualifies?
The single hard requirement is 8(a) certification. Your firm must be admitted to the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development program — a nine-year program for small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals — and must hold that certification at the time of award and throughout the life of the contract. If your firm is not 8(a) certified, you cannot hold a STARS III contract, and you cannot compete for its task orders as a prime.
Beyond the certification, the solicitation sets requirements on past performance, relevant experience, and corporate capability. GSA evaluates proposals on the firm’s record of IT work, the quality of its past performance, and its ability to deliver the services in the vehicle’s scope. Our guides on 8(a) certification requirements and how to apply for 8(a) certification explain the certification itself, and a GWAC on-ramp — a later solicitation that adds new holders to an existing vehicle — is how firms that missed the original award can still get in.
Note the timing risk: the 8(a) program lasts nine years. A firm that joins STARS III late in its 8(a) term may graduate from the program before the vehicle ends, and graduation can affect its ability to take new task orders. Plan your vehicle strategy around your 8(a) clock, not just the vehicle’s ceiling.
What Services Does STARS III Cover?
The vehicle’s scope is organised around IT services, and it is deliberately broad. It covers custom computer programming and software development, systems design and integration, IT operations and maintenance, network services, cybersecurity, cloud services, data analytics and artificial intelligence, and IT training and support. The scope is defined by NAICS codes — primarily in the 5415xx series — and the solicitation lists the specific codes and service areas the vehicle covers.
Two features of the scope matter for small firms. First, the vehicle includes emerging-technology areas such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, which means a firm with modern capabilities can find work there even if it is small. Second, the scope is services, not products: STARS III is for firms that deliver IT work, not for firms that resell hardware or software licences. If your firm sells products, the GSA Schedule is the better route — see our guide on how to get on GSA Schedule.
How Task Orders Work
Once you hold a STARS III contract, the work comes through task orders. An agency with an IT need posts a task-order request to the holders — usually through GSA’s ordering system — and the holders submit proposals. The agency evaluates the proposals and awards the task order to one holder. The competition is limited to STARS III holders, which is the vehicle’s main advantage: you are competing against other 8(a) firms, not against the large primes.
Task orders can be fixed-price or cost-reimbursement, and they range from small, short engagements to multi-year, multi-million-dollar efforts. The agency sets the requirements, the period of performance, and the evaluation criteria for each order. Some orders are set aside further — for example, for firms in a particular region — but most are open to all holders in the relevant scope area.
Winning task orders consistently is a discipline of its own. It requires a proposal process that can respond quickly, a clear understanding of the agency’s need, and a record of delivery that makes the next proposal stronger. Firms that win regularly treat each task order as a chance to build past performance for the next one.
How STARS III Compares to Other IT Vehicles
The main alternatives for a small IT firm are CIO-SP3, run by NIH, and OASIS+, run by GSA. CIO-SP3 is also an IT vehicle and is open to small businesses generally, not only 8(a) firms — which means the competition is broader but the pool of work is also large. OASIS+ covers professional services more broadly, including IT, and has small-business pools of its own. Our guides on OASIS+ explained and how to get on a GWAC explain those vehicles.
STARS III’s advantage is its exclusivity: every competitor is an 8(a) firm, so the competition is among peers rather than against large businesses. Its limitation is the same exclusivity: if your firm is not 8(a) certified, or if it graduates from the program, STARS III is closed to you. The right strategy for many firms is to hold a place on more than one vehicle, so that the loss of eligibility on one does not cut off the pipeline.
How to Position Your Firm to Win
Get the 8(a) certification first. No certification, no vehicle. If you are not yet certified, start the application now — it takes months, and the vehicle will not wait for you.
Build IT past performance. Subcontract on IT work, win smaller IT contracts, and document your results. A proposal with no relevant record rarely wins a place on the vehicle.
Watch for the on-ramp. If you missed the original STARS III award, a later on-ramp solicitation is your route in. Monitor SAM.gov and prepare before it opens.
Know your NAICS codes. The vehicle’s scope is defined by NAICS codes. Make sure your SAM.gov profile carries the right codes and that your past performance maps to them. Our guide on how to add NAICS codes to your SAM.gov profile covers the mechanics.
Price realistically. Task-order competition on STARS III is price-sensitive. Know your indirect rates and your fully loaded labour costs before you bid — our guides on indirect rates and how to build a price proposal explain the costing.
The Bottom Line
8a STARS III is GSA’s IT vehicle reserved for 8(a) firms — a large, multi-agency pool of IT task orders where you compete only against other 8(a) companies. It requires 8(a) certification, relevant IT past performance, and a realistic price. If your firm is 8(a) certified and sells IT services, STARS III should be at the top of your vehicle strategy, alongside a GSA Schedule and a second vehicle for the day your 8(a) term ends.
Related Guides
8(a) STARS III: Win the Vehicle, Then Win the Work
8(a) STARS III rewards firms that prepare before the solicitation opens: get the 8(a) certification first, build IT past performance, and know your NAICS codes. 8(a) STARS III is the largest pool of IT work reserved for 8(a) firms, so the competition is smaller than on open vehicles. If you are not certified yet, our guide to how to apply for 8(a) certification walks through each step — and the SBA’s 8(a) program page confirms the eligibility rules.
An 8(a) STARS III award is only useful if you can win the task orders that follow, so treat the vehicle as the starting line, not the finish. The ceiling on 8(a) STARS III runs into the tens of billions, but the work still goes to firms that bid well and deliver. Once you hold the vehicle, the work comes through task-order competition against other 8(a) holders, so your proposal process has to be fast and disciplined. Our guide to how to get on a GWAC explains how these vehicles compare, and 8(a) STARS III holders who also understand the GSA Schedule have a second route to the same buyers. Start with the certification, then position for the on-ramp.