Get Training. Get Started.

It’s easy to get started using Alliant SB. But first you must participate in training that can be done in person, over the phone or online. 

So, you’ve heard about Alliant SB. And it looks appealing. It seems to be just the GWAC you need to get the IT services for that infrastructure upgrade or that Help Desk you need to stand up. And what makes Alliant SB even better is it will help you meet your socio-economic and small business contracting goals.

But to get started, you have to get training. And it’s fast and easy.

GSA says “Federal buyers who wish to use the Alliant SB GWAC must receive Alliant SB contract overview training; and be granted a written Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA), prior to issuing task orders.”

After completing the training that you can take through a webinar or conference call hosted by the Alliant SB team, you become an Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO).

The training covers “operational level topics such as definitions, scope, ordering, price and cost, roles and responsibilities and hows to best utilize the Alliant SB website. Upon completion, warranted contracting officers are eligible to receive a DPA to place and administer task orders against Alliant SB,” says GSA.

GSA is making this training available to all members of an acquisition team including program managers, small business specialists, contract specialists and contracting officers.

Training takes approximately 30-45 minutes for the training and after the training is completed, a DPA memorandum is sent to each Contracting Officer for signature. It’s possible for a DPA to be granted in the same day as the training. How easy it that!

Initial Outreach
More than 400 people have been trained and 51 DPA’s have been issued Jim Ghiloni, Alliant SB program manager told 1105 Government Information Group Custom Media in a recent interview. (That’s the number as this went to press; more are being trained daily.)

“Our initial outreach was targeted towards contracting officers, both those at GSA and those at other agencies who have been our customers in the past and have used GWACs such as STARS, Vets, ANSWER and Millennia to meet their requirements,” explained Ghiloni.

“We invited to take part in the initial series of webinars so that they could get up to speed and get the delegations and be ready to go,” Ghiloni said.

In addition to the webinar, GSA also has a team traveling to GSA’s regional offices to train those in the Assisted Acquisition Service (AAS). “When you use a GSA GWAC, you can do what we call an assisted acquisition through GSA’s AAS,” Ghiloni added. “With AAS, GSA serves as the Contracting Officer (CO).”

Federal agencies can also buy direct after getting their DPA meaning after they get their DPA they can use Alliant SB as if it were their own. “We’ve got a number of those direct acquisition customers and we’re setting up meetings, telecoms or webinars with them,” Ghiloni said.

“Initially we are addressing the COs who will ultimately order off the contract but we are also planning to provide a more technical overview or a more high level review to technical folks or executives in agencies to help them understand what options they have and how the contract works.”

Ghiloni urged those who want to learn more to attend the GSA Expo, June 9-11 in San Antonio, TX. The Expo is GSA’s premier convention every year and there will be both a lot of information both about Alliant SB and the recently awarded Alliant contract. “We are constantly looking for other opportunities to spread the word,” exclaimed Ghiloni.

Roles and Responsibilities
After training, one either becomes a PCO (Procurement Contracting Officer) or an OCO (Ordering Contracting Officer).

According to Ghiloni typical responsibilities for a PCO include the awarding, administering and overseeing of the Basic Contract.

He said these duties include the non-delegable right to modify Basic Contract terms and conditions; provide advice and guidance to ordering/requiring activities, OCOs and contractors regarding scope and acquisition regulations; help ordering/requiring activities understand how Alliant SB can be used to meet IT; conduct meetings with Alliant SB prime contractors; and review Subcontract Reporting and Quarterly Status Reporting.

Additionally, PCOs define order requirements, prepares SOW/SOO for order RFQs/RFPs; fund requirements and ensure IT capital planning when appropriate. They also may be called on to assist the OCO with quote and proposal evaluation along with performance modeling and appraisal.

OCOs that have their DPA for Alliant SB serve in a variety of roles Ghiloni explained.

They can serve as the default COR/COTR for orders (may re-delegate this in writing) and place order(s) per terms of the DPA. They manage order administration, provide fair opportunity and keep watch on existing orders. They cannot modify the basic Alliant SB contracts.

Further they must enter task order supporting data in IT Solutions Shop (ITSS found at http://itss.gsa.gov), oversee and execute in-scope order modifications and resolve order disputes.

They are in charge of accurate reporting, ensuring past performance is completed according to agency procedures, ensure that TOs are predominantly IT Services and perform order close out.

So, are you ready? Then contact GSA at alliantsb@gsa.gov or call toll free at (877) 327-8732 today.