Alliant progress promised soon

An industry day to discuss GSA's forthcoming contracts was originally promised for this month, but it has not yet been scheduled.

Robin Bourne, who spoke at the Coalition for Government Procurement Fall Conference today, said that an industry day will take place soon. A GSA spokesman, contacted separately, said will likely be scheduled for early December.

John Johnson, assistant commissioner for service development and delivery at the General Services Administration, took over the development of Alliant and its small-business companion contract in August. Neal Fox, who had been leading the effort, retired from GSA this summer.

Johnson, in an effort to get his bearings on the work that had already been done on Alliant, put it on hold so he could study it. He said that Veterans Day -- tomorrow -- would be his target date for moving ahead.

Bourne, a program manager in GSA's Integrated Technology Service, said Johnson's review team has finished its work and internal discussions are under way.

Fox, now a private consultant, said he was displeased that the promised timeline seems to be slipping. When GSA officials say that something will happen within a given time frame, he said, it "stirs up the whole vendor community, and they react and spend money based on that."

The two Alliant contracts are intended to replace several expiring GSA governmentwide acquisition contracts.