The Alliant 3 Government-Wide Purchase Agreement (GWAC) provides small businesses (SBs) with an unprecedented opportunity to compete and win contracts, even though they are labeled as Unrestricted solicitation. The policies and requirements of Alliant 3 significantly enhance the competitive advantage of SBs relative to their rights in Alliant 2 and the status of non-small business (OTSB) issuers in the same solicitation. This in-depth look explains why Alliant 3 small business success is more attainable than ever.
Enhanced Use of Subcontractor Capabilities
Alliant 3 allows SB offerors to leverage their subcontractors’ capabilities, relevant experience, and past performance to a greater extent than Alliant 2. In Alliant 2, while SBs could include subcontractor experience and past performance, systems, and certifications held by subcontractors were not considered for scoring purposes. Alliant 3, on the other hand, allows SBs to use subcontractor capabilities comprehensively, including systems, certifications, and clearances, provided these are part of a small business subcontractor teaming arrangement.
This means that SBs can put together more competitive proposals by selecting subcontractors with relevant capabilities and utilizing their strengths to increase their scoring potential. This provides SBs with the flexibility to meet and exceed the RFP requirements more efficiently, increasing their chances of winning contracts.
Realistic Subcontracting Goals
The goals for subcontracting to SBs in Alliant 3 are:
- Small Business (SB): 50%
- Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB): 7%
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB): 6%
- HUBZone Small Business: 5%
- Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB): 15%
- Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB): 7%.
These targets are more ambitious than those in Alliant 2, emphasizing the need for OTSB offerors to involve a significant portion of their work to small business subcontractors. This requirement effectively levels the playing field by mandating substantial small business participation, which indirectly benefits SB prime contractors who inherently meet these goals by default.
Emphasis on Teaming
Alliant 3 encourages small businesses to team together, either as joint ventures or Contractor Teaming Agreements. This strategy allows SBs to pool resources and capabilities for projects of greater magnitude and complexity than they can individually perform. The RFP explicitly supports this strategy and recognizes its potential to improve the competitive environment through collective energy.
Moreover, the RFP strongly encourages SBs to participate in Mentor-Protégé Programs. This will provide small businesses with the opportunity to gain guidance from more established firms and leverage their technical and operational experience. This mentorship can be instrumental in navigating the complexities of federal contracts and improving the overall quality and competitiveness of proposals submitted by SBs.
Scoring System Advantages
In Alliant 3, the scoring system has been designed to recognize and reward the unique strengths of small businesses, promoting Alliant 3 small business success. SBs can claim points for various attributes, including relevant experience, past performance, and the highest certifications achieved by SB Prime or its small business subcontractor teammates. This comprehensive approach ensures that the diverse capabilities of small businesses are adequately acknowledged and rewarded, enhancing their overall proposal score.
The scoring system’s flexibility allows small businesses to maximize their points by strategically utilizing their subcontractors’ strengths. This is a significant advantage over OTSB offerors, who must rely solely on their in-house capabilities and cannot claim points based on their large subcontractors’ attributes.
Lower Minimum Project Value
A significant change in Alliant 3 is the reduction of the minimum project value for relevant experience projects from $10 million in Alliant 2 to $7.5 million. This lower threshold makes it easier for small businesses to qualify their projects for scoring. The number of projects offerors can use in this section has also increased from 3 to 7. These changes help small businesses increase their chances of achieving a competitive score. This adjustment demonstrates the RFP’s recognition of the diverse capabilities of small businesses and their potential to manage substantial projects.
Regulatory Compliance and Reporting
The Alliant 3 RFP requires strict adherence to the subcontracting plans and regular reporting through the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). For OTSB offerors, meeting these detailed requirements can be challenging and resource-intensive, especially given the high subcontracting goals.
In contrast, by the nature of their operations, small businesses often have more streamlined compliance processes and can more easily meet the reporting requirements. This reduces the administrative burden and allows SBs to focus more on delivering quality services and performance.
Strategic Positioning and Market Perception
Finally, winning a prime contract under Alliant 3 can significantly elevate a small business’s profile within the federal contracting community. The visibility and credibility gained from being a prime contractor on such a prestigious GWAC can open doors to additional opportunities and partnerships, fostering long-term business growth.
The GSA’s explicit support for small business participation and the structured opportunities within Alliant 3 send a strong message about the value and importance of small businesses in federal contracting. This strategic support enhances market positioning and encourages more small businesses to compete vigorously for prime contracts, driving Alliant 3 small business success.
Achieving Alliant 3 Small Business Success
Alliant 3 represents a significant evolution in the federal contracting landscape, offering small businesses unprecedented opportunities to compete and win prime contracts, thus driving Alliant 3 small business success. The enhanced use of subcontractor capabilities, realistic subcontracting goals, support for JVs and CTAs, a favorable scoring system, streamlined compliance, and improved market positioning collectively create a more conducive environment for small businesses. Despite being an Unrestricted solicitation, Alliant 3’s structure and requirements inherently favor SBs, providing them with a better chance to succeed compared to both their position in Alliant 2 and against OTSB offerors in Alliant 3.
