On November 7, 2006, the General Services Administration announced that it extended the due date for Alliant Small Business proposals from November 17, 2006 to December 6, 2006. Bidders must still have both a federally-approved accounting system and secure facilities; these requirements have not changed. As our previous installments mentioned, most small businesses cannot meet these two requirements and will accordingly have to form a joint venture with another company in order to do so. The extended due date gives those businesses contemplating the formation of a joint venture approximately twenty (20) more days to make a decision and form one.

Small businesses have told us repeatedly that it is very difficult to find a potential partner which has the required accounting system. Apparently, locating a partner with a secure facility is somewhat less difficult. The difficulties are such that some companies have asked us to assist them in finding joint venture partners. Our response to such inquiries is that the only way we know of to find an accounting system partner is (i) to make cold calls to companies on the GSA Interested Parties List, or (ii) to call in a chit from your favorite prime contractor with whom you have done past business. One of your primes may know of a small business that has an approved accounting system and may agree to request that the small business work with you (if you have brought the prime enough business). It is certainly worth noting that a small business may be a member of more than one joint venture.