OASIS+ On-Ramp: What You Need to Know (And Why Now Matters)
If you sat out Phase I of OASIS+, here’s your second chance—and it’s officially here.
On January 12, 2026, GSA issued Amendment 8 and opened the OASIS+ on-ramp for continuous submissions. The door is open for new offerors, domain enhancements, and lateral springboards across all six contract vehicles, including five small business set-asides and unrestricted for large firms.
But here’s the thing: “continuous submissions” doesn’t mean “submit whenever you feel like it.” GSA will issue awards on a rolling basis and early submission can be in the offeror’s favor. Getting your offer in sooner rather than later could be the difference between landing an 8-year ordering period versus only five—if at all.
Let’s break down what’s new, what it means for you, and how to move forward strategically.
What Changed in Amendment 8?
GSA continues the Phase I dedication to small business participation and introduces five new domains. Here’s other updates:
- Five New Domains Are Live
Phase II adds Business Administration, Financial Services, Human Capital, Marketing & Public Relations, and Social Services to the original eight domains. That’s 13 total domains now available across six IDIQ vehicles (Unrestricted, Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and WOSB) depending on the solicitation. Enterprise Solutions, for example, is only relevant to larger valued projects, usually from large firms pursuing Unrestricted. - New Scorecards
Each domain has its own scorecard with specific qualifying criteria. If you’re bidding on multiple domains, you’ll need to tailor your approach for each one. The days of copy-paste proposals are over—though you can sometimes use the same projects across different domains. - Updated NAICS and PSC Codes
GSA refined the industry codes to better align with industry feedback, federal spending patterns and agency needs. Make sure your qualifying projects map to the right codes, or you could lose credit where you thought you had it. - Revised Pricing Instructions
The way you submit and substantiate your labor category rates has changed. Pay close attention to JP-8 and JP-9 and the updated pricing submission requirements. A misstep here can delay your evaluation or disrupt future task order awards. Evaluation aligns with the best value continuum including Fair and Reasonable Pricing. - New Document Submission Requirements
GSA tightened up what they want to see and how they want to see it. This includes updated guidance on substantiating your self-score, verifying past performance, and supporting corporate capabilities. If your documentation doesn’t clearly demonstrate you meet the criteria, GSA won’t likely give you the benefit of the doubt this time around. - Enhanced Financial Requirements
Expect more scrutiny on your financial health and accounting systems. If you’re planning to compete for cost-reimbursable or time-and-materials task orders, make sure your systems are audit-ready now—not after you win— or even better, already approved!
What “Continuous Submissions” Really Means
Here’s what GSA isn’t saying loudly enough: continuous doesn’t mean casual.
Yes, you can submit your proposal at any time throughout 2026, unless GSA says otherwise. The earlier you get evaluated, the sooner you can be awarded and start competing for task orders.
There’s another reality at play here. Federal procurement is under intense scrutiny right now, with mandates to consolidate spending and drive efficiencies. OASIS+ is positioned as the vehicle for professional services across the government. Agencies are being pushed to use Best-in-Class contracts like OASIS+, which means the volume of task orders is only going to increase.
But if you’re not on the contract, you’re not in the game. And if you wait six months to submit because you’re “not quite ready,” you could be watching competitors win work that should have been yours.
Why Companies Sat Out Phase I (And Why That Might Have Been Smart)
Let’s be honest—Phase I was a bit of a scramble. The solicitation dropped, timelines were aggressive, and a lot of companies weren’t sure if they were ready. Some didn’t have the right projects. Others weren’t confident in their self-score. And some just wanted to see how it all shook out before jumping in.
If that was you, you weren’t alone.
But now you’re out of excuses.
GSA has refined the process. The scorecards are clearer. The expectations are more transparent. And you’ve got access to resources—like our OASIS+ webinar—that walk you through exactly what it takes to qualify and win.
Watch the Webinar:
The question isn’t whether you can win OASIS+. It’s whether you’re willing to start and submit the offer.
How to Get Ready (The Right Way)
If you’re serious about winning OASIS+, here’s where to start:
- Download Our Pre-Qualification Checklist
Before you do anything else, figure out if you actually qualify. Our Pre-Qualification Checklist helps you identify gaps in your experience, certifications, and documentation before you invest time and money into a full proposal. [Check out our blog and download here: Getting Ready for the OASIS Plus Phase II On-Ramp in 2025] - Audit Your Qualifying Projects
You need at least five qualifying projects that meet specific criteria: minimum average annualized value (AAV), recency, relevance to your target domain(s), and satisfactory past performance. Do you have them? Can you prove it? If not, you need to know now—not after you submit. - Review Your Registrations and Certifications
Is your SAM.gov registration current? Are your socioeconomic certifications up to date? Do you have the required accounting systems for the contract types you want to pursue? These are table-stakes requirements, and they take time to fix if something’s expired or missing. - Understand the Scorecard for Your Domain(s)
Every domain has different qualifying criteria. What gets you points in Technical & Engineering won’t necessarily get you points in Financial Services or Environment. If you’re bidding on multiple domains, you need a tailored strategy for each one—not a one-size-fits-all approach. - Talk to Someone Who’s Done This Before
We’ve submitted dozens of OASIS+ proposals in Phase I and off to the races for Phase II It’s all about process. We have proprietary matrices that help companies identify exactly what they need to qualify at our first touchpoint with you, how to structure their submissions, and how to substantiate every claim they make. If you’re doing this for the first time, you need experienced guidance, not a template and a prayer.
Why Cavalry?
OASIS+ isn’t just another RFP. It’s a complex, multi-variable evaluation that requires deep knowledge of GSA’s processes, past performance standards, and financial requirements.
Our experts are in the trenches with this contract since Phase I. We know what works, what doesn’t, and where companies consistently stumble. More importantly, we know how to position your experience in a way that maximizes your score while staying 100% compliant with GSA’s evaluation criteria. We don’t just help you submit. We help you win.
What Happens Next?
The on-ramp is open as of January 2026. The clock is ticking. And the companies that move decisively right now will be the ones competing for task orders sooner than later.
Here’s what you should do today:
- Download our Pre-Qualification Checklist to help with getting ready for the OASIS Plus on-ramp
- Watch our OASIS+ webinar if you need more background on the contract and evaluation process
- Schedule a call with our OASIS+ expert to talk through your specific needs and build a path forward
We’re not going to tell you OASIS+ is easy. It’s not. But it’s absolutely winnable if you approach it strategically, prepare thoroughly, and work with a team that knows the terrain.
The door is open. Let’s make sure you walk through it.
Cavalry Consulting is a woman-owned small business specializing in federal proposal management and capture strategy. Since 2016, we’ve helped quality small business contractors win more than $50B in government work—including a perfect win record on OASIS+ submissions.
