FAC FAC Source Selection & Award 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FAR 15.503, when must the government provide a preaward notice to unsuccessful offerors in a negotiated procurement?
- Only when the contract value exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold
- When the acquisition uses sealed bidding procedures
- When an offeror's proposal is excluded from the competitive range (Correct answer)
- Only after contract award is formally made
Correct answer: When an offeror's proposal is excluded from the competitive range
FAR 15.503(a) requires a preaward notice to offerors excluded from the competitive range so they may request a debriefing.
Question 2: What information is the government required to provide in a mandatory postaward debriefing under FAR 15.506?
- The names of all Source Selection Evaluation Board members
- The awardee's detailed technical proposal
- The government's evaluation of the debriefed offeror's significant weaknesses and deficiencies (Correct answer)
- The prices of all competing offerors
Correct answer: The government's evaluation of the debriefed offeror's significant weaknesses and deficiencies
FAR 15.506(d) requires the debriefing to cover the evaluation of the debriefed offeror's significant weaknesses, deficiencies, and the overall evaluated cost/price of the awardee.
Question 3: Under the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection process, an offeror rated 'Acceptable' technically versus one rated 'Outstanding' technically:
- The 'Outstanding' offeror will receive a price premium in the award decision
- Both are treated the same; award goes to the lowest-priced technically acceptable offeror (Correct answer)
- The 'Outstanding' offeror automatically wins regardless of price
- LPTA requires a separate cost-benefit analysis before award
Correct answer: Both are treated the same; award goes to the lowest-priced technically acceptable offeror
Under LPTA, any proposal meeting the minimum technical threshold is equally eligible; award goes solely to the lowest price among acceptable offers.
Question 4: What is the purpose of an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) in source selection?
- To share the government's price target with all offerors
- To serve as a benchmark for evaluating the reasonableness of offerors' proposed prices (Correct answer)
- To establish the maximum price the government will pay under any circumstance
- To replace the need for certified cost or pricing data
Correct answer: To serve as a benchmark for evaluating the reasonableness of offerors' proposed prices
The IGCE helps the government assess whether offerors' proposed prices are reasonable and realistic compared to an independent estimate of what the work should cost.
Question 5: Under FAR 9.104-1, which of the following is a mandatory responsibility standard a prospective contractor must meet before award?
- Be incorporated as a domestic business entity
- Have adequate financial resources and satisfactory performance record (Correct answer)
- Hold a federally approved accounting system
- Be certified as a small business by the SBA
Correct answer: Have adequate financial resources and satisfactory performance record
FAR 9.104-1 lists adequate financial resources and satisfactory past performance as standards the CO must determine a prospective contractor meets before award.
Question 6: When is a Responsibility Determination required under FAR Part 9?
- Only for contracts exceeding $10 million
- Before award of every contract, regardless of dollar value (Correct answer)
- Only when the acquisition uses negotiated procedures
- Only for contracts with small business set-asides
Correct answer: Before award of every contract, regardless of dollar value
A CO must make an affirmative determination of contractor responsibility before awarding any contract, at any dollar value.
FAC FAC Source Selection & Award 2
Under FAR 15.503, when must the government provide a preaward notice to unsuccessful offerors in a negotiated procurement?