CFCM Source Selection 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FAR Part 15, what is the primary purpose of a Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB)?
- To negotiate prices with all offerors
- To evaluate proposals against stated evaluation factors and document findings (Correct answer)
- To approve the final contract award decision
- To draft the solicitation's statement of work
Correct answer: To evaluate proposals against stated evaluation factors and document findings
The SSEB evaluates proposals against the solicitation's evaluation factors and documents its findings for the Source Selection Authority.
Question 2: Which document formally establishes the evaluation team, evaluation factors, and procedures for a competitive acquisition?
- Source Selection Plan (SSP) (Correct answer)
- Request for Quotation (RFQ)
- Performance Work Statement (PWS)
- Market Research Report
Correct answer: Source Selection Plan (SSP)
The Source Selection Plan (SSP) is prepared before issuing the solicitation and governs the entire evaluation process.
Question 3: In a best-value tradeoff source selection, an offeror with a higher-rated technical proposal may be selected over a lower-priced offeror if:
- The price difference exceeds 15% of the government estimate
- The Source Selection Authority documents why the technical superiority is worth the price premium (Correct answer)
- The lower-priced offeror failed to submit past performance data
- Both offerors received the same adjectival rating
Correct answer: The Source Selection Authority documents why the technical superiority is worth the price premium
A best-value tradeoff selection requires the SSA to document a rational basis showing the technical benefits justify the additional cost.
Question 4: What term describes a deficiency in a proposal that is so significant it indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the requirement and cannot be corrected without a major rewrite?
- Weakness
- Significant weakness
- Deficiency (Correct answer)
- Minor irregularity
Correct answer: Deficiency
FAR 15.001 defines a deficiency as a material failure to meet a government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses that increases performance risk.
Question 5: When may a contracting officer conduct discussions with offerors in the competitive range?
- Only after all offerors have submitted final proposal revisions
- After establishment of the competitive range, to allow offerors to address deficiencies and weaknesses (Correct answer)
- Before any proposals have been evaluated
- Only if the acquisition exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold by tenfold
Correct answer: After establishment of the competitive range, to allow offerors to address deficiencies and weaknesses
FAR 15.306(d) authorizes discussions with offerors in the competitive range to address deficiencies, significant weaknesses, and other aspects of proposals.
Question 6: What is the competitive range in a negotiated procurement?
- All offerors whose prices are within 10% of the lowest offer
- The set of offerors with the most highly rated proposals with a reasonable chance of being selected for award (Correct answer)
- All responsible offerors who submitted timely proposals
- Offerors whose technical scores exceed 70 on a 100-point scale
Correct answer: The set of offerors with the most highly rated proposals with a reasonable chance of being selected for award
FAR 15.306(c) defines the competitive range as offerors whose proposals are most highly rated and have a reasonable chance of being selected for award.
Question 7: Which statement about past performance evaluation in source selection is CORRECT?
- Offerors with no relevant past performance must be rated Unsatisfactory
- An offeror with no relevant past performance is typically rated neutral, neither favorably nor unfavorably (Correct answer)
- Past performance must always be the most important evaluation factor
- Past performance information from subcontractors may never be considered
Correct answer: An offeror with no relevant past performance is typically rated neutral, neither favorably nor unfavorably
FAR 15.305(a)(2)(iv) states that an offeror without relevant past performance shall be rated neither favorably nor unfavorably on past performance.
CFCM Source Selection 2
Under FAR Part 15, what is the primary purpose of a Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB)?