Alliant : The Answer for Most is a Joint Venture
From GOVSALESWIKI
Installment [ 2 ] Alliant : The Answer for Most is a Joint Venture By Richard White
Our last newsletter discussed the highly-restrictive requirements specified in the General Services Administration's (GSA) Alliant Small Business Request for Proposal (RFP). The past performance, secure facility, and approved accounting system requirements are restrictive for most small businesses, except those currently doing Department of Defense business. The only practical solution for most small businesses is to become part of a formal joint venture. Only the past performance of small business team members in a joint venture will be evaluated and any one of the team members can satisfy the secure facility and accounting system requirements.
The Alliant RFP outlines the following criteria which must be met by those joint ventures submitting offers:
- An offer submitted by a joint venture need not obtain pre-approval from the Small Business Administration (SBA). However, the joint venture must conform to those SBA guidelines, regulations and size standards pertaining to joint ventures and their composition.
- Members of a joint venture are permitted to individually qualify under the appropriate size standards.
- An offer submitted by a joint venture must include a copy of the parties' joint venture agreement. The failure to submit a copy of the joint venture agreement shall result in the offer being summarily rejected. (Note: GSA will not only reject you, they will summarily reject you).
- Offers must be submitted in the name of the joint venture. The joint venture agreement must specifically identify the joint venture's managing member, the other members and designate which parties have signatory authority. The party signing the offer must have signatory authority.
- The various parts of the proposal to GSA including the required past performance tables and the Basic Contract Plan (BCP) must be submitted in the name of the joint venture.
- The joint venture and the members of the joint venture must submit separate representations and certifications.
Since Alliant SB is a multiple-award IDIQ procurement, GSA considers the "dollar value of the procurement" to be the cumulative estimated value of the multiple award contracts including options, which is $15 billion. GSA's restrictive posture with respect to which companies or entities may submit an offer is a blessing for government contract lawyers. Attorneys will be very busy drafting joint venture agreements in the month of November.