GSA promises Alliant soon

Bidders waiting for details on the Alliant governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) must wait longer, but the General Services Administration is promising requests for proposals soon.

GSA published a brief notice today, saying only: "GSA's Alliant and Alliant SB procurements are undergoing a brief but comprehensive review. After completion of the review, GSA will proceed with the final request for proposals."

GSA has been planning for Alliant since 2003. It will be the follow-on vehicle consolidating existing GWACs into one. Although agency officials say the Alliant contracts should be thought of as new contracts rather than direct replacements, they are expected to cover the same information technology products and services now offered through Millennia and Applications 'n' Support for Widely Diverse End-User Requirements (ANSWER).

In August, John Johnson GSA's assistant commissioner of service development and delivery, took over Alliant development. Neal Fox, former assistant commissioner of commercial acquisition, had been in charge until his retirement from the agency in July.

Alliant will have a five-year base period and one five-year option, covering a maximum of 10 years. It will have a $50 billion ceiling and guarantees a minimum of $2,500 per contractor, according to a draft RFP that GSA issued in April. Alliant SB, a separate GWAC for small businesses, has the same base, option and minimum. It carries a ceiling of $15 billion, according to draft documents.