Military installations play a crucial role in maintaining national security, and ensuring these facilities are properly constructed, maintained and supported is vital to the success of any mission. In an effort to streamline procurement processes and improve efficiency, the U.S. Army (and more recently, the U.S. Navy) has turned to Sourcewell’s Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) to enhance construction and maintenance support at installations nationwide.
The IGSA with Sourcewell provides personnel at Installation Management Command (IMCOM) facilities with a more effective way to procure construction services, supplies and equipment. By tapping into this cooperative agreement, Army and Navy installations gain access to a pre-vetted network of contractors and an efficient procurement process, ensuring that critical projects can proceed quickly and smoothly without compromising compliance or quality.
What is an IGSA and Why is it Important?
An Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) is a partnership between government entities that allows one agency to provide services to another on a cost-reimbursable basis. In the case of the new agreements with Sourcewell, the arrangement enables military installations to procure construction services and supplies through a cooperative purchasing model. This IGSA eliminates many of the time-consuming steps traditionally associated with procurement processes, ensuring that military construction projects can move forward with minimal delay and maximum efficiency.
Key Benefits of the IGSA with Sourcewell
Time Savings: A Streamlined Procurement Process
Traditionally, military installations have to follow a lengthy and often complicated procurement process to secure the services they need for construction, repairs and maintenance. Each project requires multiple steps, including sourcing vendors, obtaining bids, reviewing proposals and negotiating contracts, all of which can delay project timelines and increase costs.
With the IGSA through Sourcewell, the procurement process is dramatically simplified. Instead of going through the entire procurement process from scratch, military personnel can tap into Sourcewell’s pre-existing pool of competitively awarded contractors and vendors. This eliminates much of the administrative burden, allowing projects to move forward faster and ensuring mission readiness is maintained.
By leveraging Sourcewell’s contracting office instead of the traditional MICC (Mission Installation Contracting Command), military installations can further reduce the time it takes to get a project started. In fact, work on construction and maintenance projects can often begin sooner than with standard procurement methods.
Quality Assurance: Pre-Approved Contractors
Another significant advantage of using Sourcewell’s IGSA is the access it provides to a network of pre-approved contractors. Sourcewell carefully vets each contractor in its network, ensuring they have the necessary skills, experience and dependability to complete high-quality work. This gives personnel added confidence that every project will meet the stringent requirements of military construction and maintenance standards.
In addition to the vetted contractors, the IGSA also includes services from Gordian. Gordian’s team brings years of expertise in managing large-scale construction projects, ensuring that every job is completed efficiently, on-budget and on-schedule. With a network of trusted professionals at their disposal, military installations can be confident that any project, from routine maintenance to large-scale construction, will be handled with the utmost care and precision.
Cost Savings: Substantial Savings on Construction and Maintenance
One of the most compelling reasons to utilize Sourcewell’s IGSA is the potential for significant cost savings. The IGSA is projected to result in annual savings of between 15% and 50% for the Army across a wide range of procurement-related services and supplies. These savings come from Sourcewell’s ability to leverage its buying power as a cooperative purchasing entity, which results in more competitive pricing and better contract terms.
Additionally, Sourcewell’s network of pre-approved contractors is designed to deliver high-quality work at a lower cost, reducing the overall cost of construction and maintenance projects. This can be especially beneficial when working with tight budgets or when projects need to be completed quickly.
A Reliable Alternative for Delayed or Stalled Projects
In many cases, projects are delayed or put on hold due to capacity constraints, budget issues or difficulties with existing contractors. Sourcewell’s IGSA provides an alternative way to complete projects when other options may not be available.
For example, if a contractor on an existing contract is unable to perform certain types of work, the IGSA offers a simple and reliable way to secure new contractors who are capable of completing the necessary tasks. Similarly, if a project was delayed due to procurement issues or lack of available resources, the IGSA ensures that work can continue without further delay.
Looking Ahead: More Military Branches to Adopt the IGSA Model
While the IGSA with Sourcewell is currently available to the Army and Navy, the model is expected to expand to other branches of the military in the near future. As more military units and organizations recognize the value of cooperative purchasing agreements, Sourcewell’s IGSA will become an increasingly vital tool for ensuring that critical construction and maintenance projects can be completed efficiently and cost-effectively.
The launch of Sourcewell’s Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) marks a significant step forward in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of construction and maintenance projects at military installations across the country. With its streamlined procurement process, pre-approved network of contractors, potential for significant cost savings and centralized project management platform, the IGSA offers a powerful tool for military personnel tasked with maintaining mission-ready installations.
