What FAR Part 15 - Contracting by Negotiation (Source Selection and Best Value Procurement) requires
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15 governs the negotiated competitive proposal process used when sealed bidding is not appropriate, structuring federal procurement around source selection for best value: Subpart 15.2 requires Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to disclose evaluation factors and significant subfactors that will be used (15.203(a)(4)), with proposals safeguarded from unauthorised disclosure (15.207); Subpart 15.3 establishes the source selection process where price or cost must be evaluated in every selection (15.304(c)(1)), past performance must be considered (15.305(a)(2)), and proposals must be evaluated solely on the factors stated in the solicitation (15.305(a)); FAR 15.306 establishes the structured exchange phases (clarifications, communications, competitive range determination, discussions, final proposal revisions) with mandatory disclosure of deficiencies and significant weaknesses to offerors in the competitive range (15.306(d)(3)) and prohibitions on favouring one offeror or revealing technical solutions or prices (15.306(e)); Subpart 15.4 sets pricing policy requiring certified cost or pricing data above threshold (15.403-4) unless an exception applies. The source selection authority's decision must be a comparative assessment against all stated criteria documented in a Source Selection Decision Document under 15.308.
Pillar: Public Sector & Government Procurement · Authority: Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (DOD, GSA, NASA) issuing the Federal Acquisition Regulation under 41 USC 1303 and 48 CFR Chapter 1 · Version: 1.0.0 · Last updated:
Primary source: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-15
SHA-256 integrity: e54397dac7349724e9eef088c99f587c17860bfec4c1a3143a4ae0547437539b
Primary Citations — 6 traced to source
- FAR Part 15, Section 15.203(a)(4) Requests for proposals: 'RFPs for competitive acquisitions shall, at a minimum, describe...the evaluation factors and significant subfactors that will be used to evaluate the proposal and their relative importance' - failure to disclose evaluation factors is a frequent successful protest ground
- FAR Part 15, Section 15.304(c)(1) Evaluation factors and significant subfactors: 'Price or cost to the Government shall be evaluated in every source selection' - DoD, NASA, Coast Guard limited exceptions apply for certain task orders only
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