Far best and final offer

Phase 3: Evaluation

Phase 3 of the contracting process is Evaluation. The objective is to evaluate all proposals received in response to a solicitation in a method consistent with the instructions and evaluation criteria in Section L & M of the Request for Proposal (RFP) package. The evaluation will identify the strengths, weaknesses, significant weaknesses, and deficiencies contained in each proposal. The results will provide evaluation information to the source selection authority (SSA) and Program Contracting Officer (PCO) to make an award decision.

FAR Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation describes all evaluation procedures.

  1. Source Selection Process: Establish the source selection processes and procedures.
  2. Source Selection Participants: Determine the people who will participate in the source selection.
  3. Oral Presentations: The decision to have oral presentations is up to the PCO.
  4. Conducting the Evaluation:
  5. Award without Discussions: After evaluating all offers, the Government may be ready to make an award. Award may be made without discussions if the solicitation explicitly states that the Government intends to evaluate proposals and make award without discussions.
  6. Establish Competitive Range and Hold Discussions: FAR 15.306(d) states that in either a competitive or sole source environment, the Government may choose to enter into negotiations with an offeror(s) with the intent of permitting that offeror(s) an opportunity to revise or modify their proposals. When negotiations are conducted in a competitive acquisition, they take place after the establishment of the “competitive range” and are called “discussions.”
  7. Debriefings: A debriefing is a meeting in which Government personnel explain to an offeror why they were eliminated from the competitive range (pre-award debriefing) or why they were not selected for an award (post-award debriefing). Debriefings allow the Government to explain its rationale behind a decision, reduce misunderstandings and protests by unsuccessful offeror’s, and assist offeror’s in improving future proposals.
  8. Field Pricing Assistance: The PCO may request field pricing assistance and audits to support cost proposal analysis when more information is needed to determine a fair and reasonable price.
  9. Final Proposal Revisions: After holding discussions with the offeror’s, the PCO may request revisions to either the technical or cost volumes of the proposals. Formerly called “best and final offers,” final proposal revisions (FPRs) are requested in writing by the PCO from offeror’s within the competitive range and are evaluated in basically the same manner as the original offers.
  10. Completion of Source Selection Reports:
  11. Business Clearances: The PCO or Contracts Specialist must complete a BC prior to establishing the competitive range and prior to contract award.

Contracting Phases

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