Agencies may access Alliant in two ways – Direct Acquisitions or Assisted Acquisitions.

GSA is putting a lot of effort into spreading the word about Alliant and Alliant SB.  Don’t be surprised if the phone rings or an email appears soon touting the benefits of using Alliant.

“GSA has a customer accounts and research group  – CARR – that does customer outreach and has relationships with customers across the board,” GSA’s Jim Ghiloni told 1105 Government Information Group Custom Media.

“We have been working with them, educating them and developing joint strategies to work together to get into key customer communities and spread the word.”

Right now GSA is conducting DPA training and visiting customer sites. “We are visiting Assisted Acquisition Service regions and identifying key customers where we can go in and explain Alliant’s value and how to use it.”

During these discussions, GSA is telling customers they can access Alliant in two ways:

1.  Direct Acquisitions. Under this scenario the client agency is responsible for its own acquisition and program management activities.  After the client agency contracting officer has completed the steps to become an OCO, he/she is authorized to issue, modify, administer and close orders.

2.  Assisted Acquisitions. A requesting agency may elect to have GSA or another servicing agency provide full or partial acquisition program and/or project management services through the order life cycle. If an agency uses GSA’s AAS or another agency, then GSA or the other agency will act as the OCO.  The servicing agency can issue, modify, administer and close out orders based on the requesting agency’s requirements for support as documented in an “Interagency Agreement” signed by both parties.

Once an agency has received its DPA, it can take advantage of the benefits outlined below.