For the Start Process component, no, you don't need Altiris Agent installed or anything. It just interacts with DOS on the remote machine. The Agent would probably be required to push down needed software, patches, etc. that you want DOS to interact with, however.
In other words, if you wanted to run a remote shutdown, or open Notepad, no, you don't need Agent. If you want to interact with Deployment Solution but it isn't yet installed on the remote machine, then yes, you'd probably need to use Agent to help get it on that machine.