GSA prepares for potentially lucrative biometrics contracts under Alliant 3

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has released a request for proposals (RFP) for the Alliant 3 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). Alliant 3 aims to simplify the procurement of IT services and emerging technologies, including biometrics, identity management, and cloud computing, among others.

The contract framework includes a multi-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, which allows for flexibility in the timing and quantity of services procured. It supports multiple awards, meaning that various vendors can be chosen to provide the necessary services.

The contract guarantees a minimum award amount of $2,500 without a maximum dollar ceiling. In contrast, the original Alliant 2 contract had a financial ceiling of $50 billion, which was later raised to $75 billion.

Regarding the evaluation criteria, the initiative will employ a points-based system, with nearly 70 percent of the total score based on relevant experience and past performance. Additional points can be earned for approved cost accounting and purchasing systems and holding ISO certifications, among other criteria, as explained by Trident Proposal Management.

Fedscoop mentions that the evaluation process outlined will give priority to the proposal with the highest total points. The GSA plans to choose the top 76 proposals with the highest points as initial qualifiers.

In a successful effort for the Alliant 2 initiative, the United States government has awarded defense contractor General Dynamics a three-year contract worth $386.3 million to operate its biometric ID management infrastructure.

However, Congress’s policy ensures active support for small businesses under the Alliant 3 initiative to maintain a competitive business environment where small businesses can compete on an equal footing with large enterprises. Small businesses like InCadence were awarded contracts under Alliant 2 as well, though Polaris is now their equivalent GWAC to Alliant.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  government purchasing  |  GSA  |  identity management  |  tender  |  U.S. Government