A new report from Bloomberg Government estimates that Best-in-Class (BIC) contract spending hit $57.3 billion in FY’23, a new record.  The total figure equates to 7.4% of total government contract dollars.  The single largest area of BIC use was for IT solutions, with the GSA IT Schedule, GSA Alliant II, and NASA SEWP contracts leading the way. IT BIC contract spending totaled $239.4 billion between FY’15 and FY’24, according to Bloomberg.  BIC contracts are specially designated IDIQ contract programs that have been identified by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy as offering competitive pricing and easy ordering capabilities.  Although a BIC designation may sometimes seem to be subjective (see the Alliant II SB program that had that designation despite never transacting any business), it is undeniable that many agencies place a value on considering BIC vehicles first for their IT and other needs.  Civilian agencies have especially ramped up use of BIC contracts, increasing total obligations by 32% over the past five years.  In addition to IT, professional services and logistics/transportation services are also market segments with significant BIC use.  FY’23 professional service BIC sales were in the $20 billion range, while transportation and logistics contracts saw approximately $8 billion in action.  Successful contractors seem to understand the importance of having several BIC vehicles as part of their market strategy.  Nine of the top 10 federal contractors have at least five BIC contracts per the Bloomberg report with Booz Allen Hamilton ranking first.  The importance of holding a BIC contract is underscored by the frenzy of protests that surround each new version of an existing contract.  GSA, for example, has already seen OASIS+ protests and protests for Alliant 3 are a sure bet once a final RFP is issued.  Still, while it may take some time to set up a new BIC vehicle, agencies do undeniably use them.  Understanding when and how is a key component to contractor success.