Attachment 0004 3PL Section L.pdf

Section L: Proposal Requirements

1. General:

The intent of this competitive acquisition is to award a total Small Business Set Aside utilizing a best value tradeoff approach based on Technical/Management, Past Performance, and Price pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.101-1.

Multiple contract awards will be issued pursuant to FAR 16.504(c)(1)(ii). The Government anticipates awarding up to five (5) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to small businesses who meet the award criteria and are determined to be the best value to the Government as described herein. Award shall be made to the responsible Offeror(s) who provide the best value to the Government based on the results of the evaluation as described in Section M.

The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of the Offeror's proposal for this solicitation. To assure timely and equitable evaluation of proposals, Offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal (RFP) may cause their proposal to be determined to be unacceptable and therefore not eligible for award. If a Joint Venture (JV) arrangement exists for this acquisition, the Offeror shall provide a copy of the JV agreement that is signed and dated by all JV members as part of the proposal submission. Offerors shall submit only one proposal for the 3PL Support effort as the Government will review only one proposal per Offeror. All Offerors must confirm a validity date of no less than 180 days in their proposal.

Proposals shall be submitted in 5 separate volumes as set forth below:

* Searchable electronic copies in MS Office/PDF format shall be submitted in accordance with this section.

** Pricing worksheets shall be provided in MS Excel (2007 or later) .xlsx file extension format and can be saved as a re-writable file.

NOTE: Pages that exceed the required page limitations will not be evaluated.

Additional pages over the maximum allowed will be removed or not read and will not be evaluated by the Government.

VOLUME PAGE LIMITS NUMBER OF

COPIES DESCRIPTION

I* N/A 1 Solicitation, Offer and Award Documents, and Certifications / Representations

II N/A 1 Entry Gate Criteria III* 36 1 Technical/Management IV* 20 1 Past Performance V** N/A 1 Price

In addition to the page limitations set forth above, proposals should comply with FAR 52.215-1, Instructions to Offerors – Competitive Acquisition, and the following format:

(a) Each volume shall be self-contained and shall be marked with the RFP number and the Offeror’s name and address, and the number of the Volume, i.e. I, II, III, IV. The proposal shall be in the English language and all monies shall be proposed in United States dollars.

(b) Print shall be in Arial font with a font size no smaller than 12 and should be on 8 ½” x 11” inch paper. Charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, supporting illustrations, or spreadsheets may be on 11” x 17”. Each volume within the proposal file shall be separately labeled and identified. Margins shall be no smaller than 1 inch and each page within a volume (or section) shall be numbered consecutively.

(c) Each page containing proprietary information shall be so marked.

(d) Each page shall contain the following legend at the top and bottom of each sheet:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION--SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 CONTROLLED

UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Also, see FAR 52.215-1(e) for restrictions on disclosures and use of data.

2. Communications

Exchanges of source selection information after submission of the initial proposal packages between Government and Offerors will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Email may be used to transmit such information; however, it must include “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email. It is recommended to encrypt emails; however, if an Offeror’s computer system cannot support encryption technology, the Offeror shall send an email to the Contracting Officer stating that the Offeror accepts the risk of sending and receiving unencrypted email if the Offeror chooses to utilize unencrypted email as a channel of communication.

The Government intends to award without discussions but reserves the right to conduct discussions if determined necessary. Any discussions will be conducted in accordance with FAR 15.306.

3. Volume I: Solicitation, Offer and Award Documents, and Certifications/ Representations

Volume I will consist of the completed and signed RFP with a cover letter delineating any exceptions taken to the RFP terms and conditions with accompanying rationale.

However, Offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined unacceptable and therefore not eligible for award. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require "fill-in" information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the contract line items in the Pricing Spreadsheet. An authorized official of the firm shall sign the SF 1449 and all certifications requiring original signature.

Proposals must be received by Army Contracting Command –Redstone Arsenal/ DoD SAFE https://safe.apps.mil/; Contracting Officer, Deanna Desarro, Deanna.l.desarro.civ@mail.mil, Contract Specialist, Christopher Clemons, Christopher.R.Clemons2.civ@mail.mil, by date and time stated in Block 8 of the face-page of the RFP.

4. Volume II: Entry Gate Criteria

Volume II will consist of the appropriate documentation to validate the current Quality certifications held by an Offeror. The Offeror shall provide a copy of its current Aerospace Quality Management Standard AS9100 certification. If the current certification is due for renewal, the Offeror must provide satisfactory evidence of being in the process of renewing/ extending the certification at the time of proposal submission

5 Volume III: Technical/Management

a. General: The written technical proposal shall be clear, concise, and include all the information required by this provision in sufficient detail for effective evaluation. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government's requirements but, rather, shall provide convincing rationale to address how the Offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of the Offeror’s capabilities, work processes, facilities, and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the Offeror's technical proposal.

Offerors shall demonstrate the breadth and depth of their experience and proposed approach in performing the full range of all the tasks required within the Statement of Work (SOW). This volume shall include proposed partnerships, JV members, and/ or key subcontractors. The Offeror shall provide a description of the processes and procedures within the completed proposal that will be utilized to execute the requirements of the 3PL contract. Breadth of experience is defined as the Offeror’s experience in performing the tasks identified within the SOW. Depth of experience is defined as the magnitude, significance, and applicability/relevance of the Offeror’s experience in performing the above range of services. Provided the Offeror does not exceed the overall total page count for the proposal, the Offeror may provide additional narrative outside the minimum requirements on any or all projects.

The Offeror shall provide an overview of its technical experience and organizational structure as it pertains to this 3PL requirement.

mailto:Deanna.l.desarro.civ@mail.mil

The Offeror’s experience may include both Government and commercial contracts in providing the same or similar products and services to accomplish the full range of all of the tasks required. The Offeror, as the prime contractor, shall describe its primary role/duties in the execution of the work (i.e., the major components of the project that were completed by the prime and the major components that were subcontracted out).

The Offeror shall also provide information on the size, complexity, and distinctive and/or unique features of the project. The Offeror shall provide evidence of its experience based on the information above as it relates to the technical factor. This experience should demonstrate not only the Offeror’s understanding of 3PL efforts in general but also the requirements within the instant 3PL SOW. With regard to Government Property, the Offeror shall provide specific information as to the types and amounts (number of line items, dollar value) of Government Property under its control and how it was accounted for, managed, and controlled by the Offeror.

The organizational structure of the Offeror’s proposed team, which may include both internal and external components, shall be outlined through a narrative within the technical volume. The organizational structure shall be diagrammed using an organizational chart indicating the relationships, working arrangements, and lines of authority and communication with the Offeror and within the team. In addition to identifying the organizational structure, Offeror’s shall identify any significant correlations between the technical factor and the organizational structure. For example, if a task can only be completed as a result of a key subcontractor to successfully accomplish a factor, it should be identified within the technical volume. A key subcontractor is considered any subcontractor that is used to substitute or supplement the prime’s capabilities and experience. A key supplier is considered any supplier that sources twenty percent (20%) or more of the contractor’s awarded catalog line items.

The Offeror shall demonstrate through a resource plan that it currently possesses or has the ability to obtain and retain the necessary personnel to successfully perform 3PL projects. This information will be utilized to identify the level of expertise available for this contract as it relates to the risk of execution within the technical factor.

b. Format and Specific Content: The following information shall be provided in the technical proposal and will be evaluated to assess an Offerors technical capability in accordance with Section M, Evaluation Basis for Award. The written Technical/Management proposal shall address the following elements to describe the Offeror’s proposed approach to performing the requirements set forth in the SOW and demonstrate the Offeror’s thorough knowledge and understanding of those requirements.

As part of the technical proposal, Offeror’s shall be able to demonstrate their quality, supply chain processes, and a functioning Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) based on the requirements of the SOW. Offeror’s shall ensure its proposal includes a response to the following:

(a) A description of its corporate Quality Management/Quality Control (QM/QC) program and a copy of any quality management certifications not provided in volume II.

(b) A description of its process to obtain/deliver parts which meets contract requirements from approved sources or to qualify a new source when no existing approved sources can be located.

(c) A description of the process for addressing quality issues such as quantity discrepancies or non-conforming parts.

(d) The Offeror shall describe its process for managing a very large number of suppliers, including communication of requirements, resolution of issues, and ensuring on-time delivery.

(e) The Offeror shall describe/discuss any supplier constraints that will impact delivery and how they will overcome these constraints.

(f) With regard to EDI, a description of the system architecture, Government access and security.

(g) A description of data management practices and procedures used to maintain quality and accuracy of data from data entry to generation of exportable information.

(h) A description of data elements to be captured and search and export capability.

(i) Identification of any relevant tasks within this factor that are affected/ influenced by the organizational structure as it relates to either key personnel, key subcontractors or key suppliers as defined in this requirement.

6. Volume IV - Past Performance

a. General: The Offeror shall submit present and past performance information for itself and any JV member in accordance with the format provided in the instructions contained in the following paragraphs. Evaluation of the Offeror’s/JV member’s present/past performance WILL NOT include the present/past performance of any of the JVs’ subcontractor(s)/vendor(s)/supplier(s). A JV is defined as a contractual agreement joining together two or more parties to undertake a particular business transaction or project and is intended to exist for a limited time period. The individual entities may retain their individuality and operate under a JV agreement or the JV creates a separate corporation, limited liability company, or partnership.

b. Past Performance Format: The requested present and past performance information shall be provided in a separate volume labeled "Volume IV - Past Performance." A summary page shall be provided for this acquisition, describing the proposed role of the Offeror and any JV member (percentage of overall work and place of work.) Each Offeror/JV member shall utilize the Past Performance Relevancy Table (PPRT) and a narrative for each active or completed contract (with preferably at least one year of performance history) in the past five (5) years that the Offeror/JV member considers relevant in demonstrating its ability to perform the proposed effort. If the total number of such contracts exceeds four (4), each Offeror/JV member shall address its four (4) most recent and relevant contracts.

c. Number of Contract Submissions: With respect to the limit of four (4) contracts specified in the paragraph above, each one-time, fixed-quantity, standalone contract is considered one (1) contract. For long term contracts that provide for option exercise for additional supplies/services beyond the initial or basic award, or the placement of multiple orders (e.g., IDIQ or requirements contracts as defined in FAR 16.5, basic ordering agreements, blanket purchase agreements, or other long term arrangements), performance under the basic contract and any options or performance of a series of orders issued against the same contract may be submitted as one (1) contract subject to all of the following conditions:

(1) Performance is relatively continuous (e.g., production/performance breaks do not exceed six (6) months).

(2) The nature of performance is related (e.g., management of a diverse group of supplier and supplies, delivering compliant parts, and near real-time order status).

(3) All of the submitted performance satisfies the past performance recency and relevance criteria set forth in Section M.

When submitting an individual order (or series of orders) under an ordering type contractual vehicle, it is important that the Offeror's past performance information be accurate, complete, and easily understood. If the information is not submitted in the correct format, the Government will not be able to evaluate the effort for recency, relevancy, and quality. There are specific places for submission of this information in the PPRT. Please ensure the information submitted in the PPRT is comprehensive and addresses each order (or series of orders) and the basic ordering contract itself. This includes, but is not limited to, information such as the dollar value and term/period of performance.

Note: The Government reserves the right to request additional information from the Offeror or Points of Contact (POCs) provided to verify that sequential or serial performance is for the same or similar continuous nature and scope.

d. Key Personnel: Offerors or JV members, who either have no prior contracts or do not possess relevant corporate past performance, but have key personnel with relevant past performance while employed by another company, may demonstrate the performance of two (2) such key personnel by submitting a PPRT with narrative for up to two (2) recent and relevant contracts under which each of those two (2) key personnel performed the same role currently being proposed on the instant acquisition and this performance occurred during the past five (5) years from the issuance date of this solicitation. Note, however, that the quality of the key personnel's performance under the submitted contract must be able to be verified by the Past Performance Team in order to be considered in the assessment of confidence. Any such key personnel must already be employed by the Offeror /JV member by the submittal date of the proposal.

e. Key Subcontractors: Offerors or JV members, who either have no prior contracts or do not possess relevant corporate past performance, but intend to utilize key subcontractors with relevant past performance, may demonstrate the performance of two (2) such key subcontractors by submitting PPRTs with narratives for two (2) recent and relevant contracts under which each of those two (2) key subcontractors performed the same role currently being proposed on the instant acquisition and this performance occurred during the past five (5) years from the issuance date of this solicitation. Note however, that the quality of the key subcontractor's performance under the submitted contract must be able to be verified by the Past Performance Team in order to be considered in the assessment of confidence.

f. Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ): The Offeror/JV member and/or key subcontractor shall provide a PPQ to each of the Past/Present Customers identified in the four PPRT with narrative submitted in their Volume IV – Past Performance. The answering space on the PPQ may be expanded so that the filled-in FACTS Sheet for each relevant contract covers no more than both sides of three (3) 8 ½ x 11 inch pages.

Provide the most current information for the POCs identified on the PPQ. At least two of the following (in descending order of availability) should be identified as current POCs on the PPQ:

(1) Procuring Contracting Officer/Contract Negotiator or equivalent

(2) Program/Project Manager or equivalent

(3) Administrative Contracting Officer/Contract Administrator or equivalent

(4) Other (as specified in your PPQ)

If problems were encountered during the performance of the identified contracts, provide evidence of the ability to isolate the root causes of problems and include in the PPQ a description of programs or actions taken to resolve those causes. Problems not addressed in the PPQ, but found by the Government during the evaluation of the information in this volume, will be assumed to still exist. Note: In the case of Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS), if your input has already been provided and the rationale/circumstances have not changed, DO NOT repeat them here.

g. Transmittal Letter: In the event that commercial contracts are presented as present/past performance sources of information, a Transmittal Letter shall be issued to those commercial POCs by the Offeror requesting/authorizing them to complete a Present/Past Performance Questionnaire. A sample Transmittal Letter is attached to this RFP (see RFP Attachment). The Offeror is required to send the Transmittal Letter(s) with the Present/Past Performance Questionnaire(s) to each POC on commercial contracts. A separate copy of Transmittal Letter(s) for each commercial contract shall be included in the Offeror's Present/Past Performance submission for the Government's use in case additional questionnaires need to be sent by the Government after RFP closing.

h. Follow-up Discussions: The Government may conduct follow-up discussions with any of the people identified in the Offeror's Present/Past Performance Volume. The Government may obtain other information by sending out additional questionnaires and/or through other sources. The Government reserves the right to change, alter, and/or supplement the questionnaire without further notice to the Offeror(s).

i. RFP Attachment Legend: Completed RFP Attachments must include the following legend at the top and bottom of the page:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 CONTROLLED

UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

7. Volume V: Price

a. Electronic Copy: Files proposed in Volume V, Price may not be password protected. The Offeror shall complete the RFP Pricing Spreadsheet (Attachment 0002) in addition to Schedule B of the RFP.

The prime Offeror is required to fill out the Pricing Spreadsheet (Attachment 0002), CAGE code and Cognizant DCMA/DCAA information, to include the DCMA and DCAA Points of Contact (POC) email addresses and telephone numbers. The prime Offeror shall ensure that all DCMA/DCAA information is current and that the correct POC information is provided and information is provided for both the prime and any subcontractors.

Provide a Table of Contents showing each file submitted as part of the Price Volume with a short description of the contents of the file. Hyperlink each of these entries in the Table of Contents to the respective files.

b. Compliance: Failure to comply with the RFP requirements for Price information may result in an adverse assessment of an Offeror’s proposal and reduce or eliminate its chance of being selected for award.

c. General Instructions: In accordance with FAR 15.402 and 15.403-1, certified cost or pricing data is not required based on the fact that adequate competition is expected for this procurement. Information other than certified cost or pricing data may be provided in contractor format provided that sufficient information is made available.

Information submitted shall be prepared following the instruction in FAR 15.403-5. If after receipt of proposals the Contracting Officer determines that there is insufficient information available to determine price reasonableness and none of the exceptions at FAR 15.403-1 apply, the Offeror may be required to submit cost or pricing data.

Additionally, in the event that adequate competition is not obtained, the Contracting Officer may incorporate FAR 52.215-20, entitled, “Requirements for Cost or Pricing

Data or Information Other Than Cost or Pricing Data,” into the solicitation and request a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data.

All prices must be in U.S. dollars only. If the basis for the proposal is in any other currency, the Offeror shall state the exchange rate(s) being used to convert any currency to U.S. dollars. Additionally all supporting documentation related to the exchange rate shall be provided with the Price proposal.

There are no page limitations for this volume. Proposal information included in this volume which is not directly related to Price will be disregarded. In addition to the information requested below, the Government reserves the right to request additional or more detailed information to support an evaluation of reasonableness.

The Offeror shall propose a price for all fixed-price CLINs, including Option CLINs, listed in Section B of the solicitation in accordance with the SOW. If the Offeror proposes to absorb a portion of costs, explain the reason and impact on the proposed price.

Offerors are required to quote a price for each material condition as defined in the “Required Material Conditions to be Priced” column for the 98 (62%) items identified in the “Must Price Item” column with “Y” as defined within the Materials Catalog located at Attachment 0005. The items identified in the “Must Price Item” column with “N” are at the discretion of the Offeror to price each material condition as defined in the “Required Material Conditions to be Priced” column. Initial Material Catalog awards will be based off the prices provided in response to this solicitation. There are 98 Manufacturer’s Part Number (MPN) Items that are required to be a part of the 62%, and are marked in the “Must Price Item” as “Y” in the Pricing Spreadsheet, and shall be provided in a MS Excel (2007 or later) .xlsx file extension format and saved as an unlocked re-writable file. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory and failure to comply may result in rejection of the proposal.

FAR CLAUSE 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisition.

Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisition (Jan 2017)

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision-

Discussions are negotiations that occur after establishment of the competitive range that may, at the Contracting Officer’s discretion, result in the offeror being allowed to revise its proposal.

In writing, “writing,” or “written” means any worded or numbered expression that can be read, reproduced, and later communicated, and includes electronically transmitted and stored information.

Proposal modification is a change made to a proposal before the solicitation’s closing date and time, or made in response to an amendment, or made to correct a mistake at any time before award.

Proposal revision is a change to a proposal made after the solicitation closing date, at the request of or as allowed by a Contracting Officer as the result of negotiations.

Time, if stated as a number of days, is calculated using calendar days, unless otherwise specified, and will include Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. However, if the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, then the period shall include the next working day.

(b) Amendments to solicitations. If this solicitation is amended, all terms and conditions that are not amended remain unchanged. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation by the date and time specified in the amendment(s).

(c) Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals.

(1) Unless other methods (e.g., electronic commerce or facsimile) are permitted in the solicitation, proposals and modifications to proposals shall be submitted in paper media in sealed envelopes or packages (i) addressed to the office specified in the solicitation, and (ii) showing the time and date specified for receipt, the solicitation number, and the name and address of the offeror. Offerors using commercial carriers should ensure that the proposal is marked on the outermost wrapper with the information in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this provision.

(2)The first page of the proposal must show–

(i) The solicitation number;

(ii) The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the offeror (and electronic address if available);

(iii) A statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation and agreement to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item;

(iv) Names, titles, and telephone and facsimile numbers (and electronic addresses if available) of persons authorized to negotiate on the offeror’s behalf with the Government in connection with this solicitation; and

(v) Name, title, and signature of person authorized to sign the proposal.

Proposals signed by an agent shall be accompanied by evidence of that agent’s authority, unless that evidence has been previously furnished to the issuing office.

(3) Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals.

(i) Offerors are responsible for submitting proposals, and any modifications or revisions, so as to reach the Government office designated in the solicitation by the time specified in the solicitation. If no time is specified in the solicitation, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m., local time, for the designated Government office on the date that proposal or revision is due.

(ii)

(A) Any proposal, modification, or revision received at the Government office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers is “late” and will not be considered unless it is received before award is made, the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late offer would not unduly delay the acquisition;

and-

(1) If it was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation, it was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals; or

(2) There is acceptable evidence to establish that it was received at the Government installation designated for receipt of offers and was under the Government’s control prior to the time set for receipt of offers; or

(3) It is the only proposal received.

(B) However, a late modification of an otherwise successful proposal that makes its terms more favorable to the Government, will be considered at any time it is received and may be accepted.

(iii) Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the proposal wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel.

(iv) If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that proposals cannot be received at the office designated for receipt of proposals by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation, the time specified for receipt of proposals will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume.

(v) Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time before award. Oral proposals in response to oral solicitations may be withdrawn orally. If the solicitation authorizes facsimile proposals, proposals may be withdrawn via facsimile received at any time before award, subject to the conditions specified in the provision at

52.215-5, Facsimile Proposals. Proposals may be withdrawn in person by an offeror or an authorized representative, if the identity of the person requesting withdrawal is established and the person signs a receipt for the proposal before award.

(4) Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, the offeror may propose to provide any item or combination of items.

(5) Offerors shall submit proposals in response to this solicitation in English, unless otherwise permitted by the solicitation, and in U.S. dollars, unless the provision at FAR 52.225-17, Evaluation of Foreign Currency Offers, is included in the solicitation.

(6) Offerors may submit modifications to their proposals at any time before the solicitation closing date and time, and may submit modifications in response to an amendment, or to correct a mistake at any time before award.

(7) Offerors may submit revised proposals only if requested or allowed by the Contracting Officer.

(8) Proposals may be withdrawn at any time before award. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Contracting Officer.

(d) Offer expiration date. Proposals in response to this solicitation will be valid for the number of days specified on the solicitation cover sheet (unless a different period is proposed by the offeror).

(e) Restriction on disclosure and use of data. Offerors that include in their proposals data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes, shall-

(1) Mark the title page with the following legend:

This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed-in whole or in part-for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this offeror as a result of-or in connection with-the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract.

This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]; and

(2) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend:

Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.

(f) Contract award.

(1) The Government intends to award a contract or contracts resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose proposal(s) represents the best value after evaluation in accordance with the factors in the solicitation.

(2) The Government may reject any or all proposals if such action is in the Government’s interest.

(3) The Government may waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received.

(4) The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a contract without discussions with offerors (except clarifications as described in FAR 15.306(a)).

Therefore, the offeror’s initial proposal should contain the offeror’s best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Contracting Officer later determines them to be necessary. If the Contracting Officer determines that the number of proposals that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the Contracting Officer may limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals.

(5) The Government reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity offered, at the unit cost or prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the proposal.

(6) The Government reserves the right to make multiple awards if, after considering the additional administrative costs, it is in the Government’s best interest to do so.

(7) Exchanges with offerors after receipt of a proposal do not constitute a rejection or counteroffer by the Government.

(8) The Government may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the prices proposed are materially unbalanced between line items or subline items. Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price (TEP), the price of one or more line items is significantly overstated or understated as indicated by the application of cost or price analysis techniques. A proposal may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk to the Government.

(9) If a cost realism analysis is performed, cost realism may be considered by the source selection authority in evaluating performance or schedule risk.

(10) A written award or acceptance of proposal mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time specified in the proposal shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party.

(11)If a post-award debriefing is given to requesting offerors, the Government shall disclose the following information, if applicable:

(i) The agency’s evaluation of the significant weak or deficient factors in the debriefed offeror’s offer.

(ii) The overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating of the successful and the debriefed offeror and past performance information on the debriefed offeror.

(iii) The overall ranking of all offerors, when any ranking was developed by the agency during source selection.

(iv) A summary of the rationale for award.

(v) For acquisitions of commercial items, the make and model of the item to be delivered by the successful offeror.

(vi) Reasonable responses to relevant questions posed by the debriefed offeror as to whether source selection procedures set forth in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed by the agency.