GSA isn’t the only one working hard to get Alliant up and running. So are the 59 Alliant Industry Partners on Alliant and the 72 Alliant SB Industry Partners.

Right now, Alliant’s 59 awardees are organizing themselves and at the same time looking for teaming partners.  “There are no prescribed teaming arrangements on any of our GWACS and not on Alliant,” GSA’s Jim Ghiloni said.

“For every individual requirement, the industry partner can construct the appropriate solution including the various teammates that make sense for that requirement.”

They can team with each other, with subcontractors, small businesses, large businesses, whatever it takes to accommodate that particular requirement. And that can change from requirement to requirement. There are no prescribed lists, no limitations which gives much more flexibility to build teaming arrangements.

“So, if an agency has a requirement and it is fairly extensive, and they have an incumbent company supporting the effort that they would like  to retain,"  explains Ghiloni, “the various offerors are not restricted at all to team with that company and make them part of the solution.”

That is a value to the customer and to the industry partner. It frees them up to put together the best possible answer for the government. “We are about maximizing flexibility and choice for customers and industry partners, so they can put together the best solution and not be constrained arbitrarily,” Ghiloni said.

Industry Reaction

That message was reinforced at the Industry Day recently held in Washington, DC for the 59 Alliant awardees.

QinetiQ North America’s PJ Bulger told 1105 Government Information Group Custom Media that Alliant offers a lot more flexibility and is more comprehensive in offering complete IT solutions.

First it can take all contract types. Then, “if you are familiar with ANSWER, you could buy services, but you couldn’t buy hardware,” Bulger said. “But under this contract you get hardware, software, services – you can actually buy software as a service or hardware as a service.”

That sentiment is echoed by Alliant Solutions LLC’s Paul Barboza. “The truly major advantage of Alliant over some of the other vehicles is the ability to be able to deliver a total IT solution to the needs of the government.”

“Under this vehicle, you can go to one person and integrate that solution and provide it to the federal government. That is not always the case under all those other GWAC vehicles. Sometimes the government has to serve as their own integrator.”

“For example you might buy your hardware on SEWP and then buy your services under Millennia. The government is essentially the integrator in that environment. So this is truly an integration contract where the government can go to the single source to provide answers to their problems.”

Barboza also explained companies are allowed to work with the government in a partnership role in establishing those requirements as well.

“GSA has also done a great job setting up support with the acquisitions community, so that they will do a free evaluation of the RFP to make sure it fits within the scope of the contract. And it’s quick too, typically within 48 calendar hours.”

GSA Commitment

QinetiQ’s Bulger was impressed by the strong commitment from the senior leadership of GSA and how important this contract is to GSA.

“You saw not only what they had to go through to get Alliant in place, but really what they thought of it in terms of their vision,” said Bulger. “When you had GSA Administrator Jim Williams himself down there talking about the program and how important it was to him personally.

“Then you follow up with John Johnson, Steve Kemp, Mary Davies, Mary Powers- King and Jim Ghiloni. You really had the senior leadership of GSA dealing with GWACs saying how important Alliant is, and what they want to do with this thing, how they all are committed to making it a success.”

Alliant Solutions LLC’s Paul Cohen declared, “It was apparent first of all the government in its management of Alliant is incredibly well organized. They are putting the resources together to make this program work and did a really good job of explaining how the contract works. They introduced people from the other parts of GSA who will be supporting Alliant. They walked us through the training that they are going to be giving to OCOs.  We came out of this with the feeling that GSA is not only well organized in the execution of this contract, but they are really committed to making it work.”

Barboza added, “What you are seeing from Alliant is more about partnerships. It’s less adversarial; there’s more ‘opening up the kimono’ so you can build a real solution.”

“It’s a faster vehicle for the government to get their needs met. There are 59 prequalified vendors that are in theory the best and the brightest in the federal government space. So let’s let them operate and do what they do well.”