GSA’s Alliant 3 team is batting a solid .500 with the release of the draft RFP this week.  They moved quickly on a project requiring a fast start.  Unfortunately, the team has apparently made a decision to deny requests from individual companies to discuss ideas and concerns.  As such, what should have been a positive development enabling the agency to move quickly on an important project now runs the risk of incurring delays later on.   Reduced communication on similar IDIQ projects has usually resulted in less well-crafted responses and in increased protest activity.  As it is now, prospective contractors will have until noon eastern time on January 6^th to comment on the draft Alliant 3 RFP issued by GSA last week.  The long review time suggests that there are several potential changes from the current Alliant 2 contracts that industry may want to review carefully.  They may undoubtedly be questions on some areas but reducing communication opportunities may make it difficult for those to be answered in a timely manner.  One of the changes is that offers will be assessed based on the top 60 Highest Technically Rated Qualifying Offers.  Cost and pricing data will not be considered at the contract level.  GSA had signaled this change in earlier communications indicating that pricing on large IDIQ’s will become a negotiation matter between contractors and ordering agencies.  Alliant 3 is also an unrestricted vehicle, meaning that companies of any size can submit a proposal.  Proposals from JV’s and contractor teams are also allowed, providing that the companies in those arrangements meet the requirements for eligibility set forth in the draft.  The requirement in other recent IDIQ’s for all offerors to submit proof of past performance on the solutions to be proposed continues.  Offerors can earn up to 17,500 points for previous performance, regardless of the total number of projects submitted for review.  Contractors should take all of the time allotted to carefully review the content of the draft.  GSA should reconsider its decision to restrict communications.