Source Selection In a Contingency Environment

1. Source SelectionIn a Contingency Environment

2. Lesson Objectives Enabling Learning Objectives: • Define the term “Source Selection.” • Explain the elements of the formal source selection process. • Develop instructions to offeror’s and evaluation factors for a best value source selection. Terminal Learning Objective: • Given a situation requiring the need to select the Best Value offer in response to a Government requirement; specify the necessary steps in the source selection process.

3. Agenda

4. Selecting a Source - Spectrum MICRO – Micro Purchase Threshold SAP – Simplified Acquisition Procedures SAT – Simplified Acquisition Threshold FSS – Federal Supply Schedule Contracting by Negotiation "" "" "" IDIQsMultiple Award FSS ≤ SAT FSS > SAT Trade Off Sealed Bids MICRO LPTA SAP Solicitation Requirements General Specific Evaluation Criteria and Proposal Requirements Complex & Formal Non Complex

5. Formal Source Selection • What is Formal Source Selection? • Portion of the federal acquisition process that allows the Government to assess the offerors’ ability to meet the Government’s needs and evaluate the relative merits of competing proposals • Why Formal Source Selection? • Factors in addition to price • Superior performance or faster delivery • Best value – expected outcome… greatest benefit • Acquisition system still open and fair • Trade off – not necessarily low price or best technical

6. RFP to Industry Proposals From Industry Evaluation of Proposals Discussions (if necessary) Final Proposal Revisions Select the “Best Value” Contract Award Steps in the Source Selection Process • Complete Source Selection Plan (SSP) • Issue/release RFP • Receive & evaluate proposals • Determine Competitive Range • Negotiate/discussions • Receive & evaluate final proposal revision (FPR) • Make the Award decision Source Selection Plan

7. DoD Source Selection Procedures Standardized methodology and uniform guidance to conduct Source Selections • Defines Source Selection Plan contents • Provides guidance on selection team membership • Directs use of standardized rating criteria • Required use of descriptions for “Technical” and “Past Performance” evaluation factors Update 1 April 2016

8. Source Selection Plan (SSP) Contents • Background and Objectives • Acquisition Strategy • Source Selection Team • Communications • Evaluation Factors and Subfactors • Documentation • Schedule of Events • Non-Government Personnel • Securing Source Selection Materials Purpose • Specifies the Government’s approach for soliciting & evaluating proposals • Describes the source selection organizational structure and decision making authority • Designates the persons who will perform evaluations After SSA approval, it is the “Charter”

9. Notional Source Selection Team Source Selection Authority Source Selection Advisory Council Source Selection Evaluation Board Price/Cost Analysis Past Performance Evaluation Business Management Evaluation Technical Evaluation

10. Potential Streamlined Source Selection Organization Source Selection Authority (SSA) Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) Contract Team Technical Team Deployed Source Selection Team

11. Source Selection Authority (SSA) Responsibilities • Establishing the evaluation team • Approving the source selection strategy and/or acquisition plan • Ensuring consistency among the solicitation requirements • Ensuring proposals are evaluated as stated in the solicitation • Considering recommendations of advisory boards/panels • Selecting Best Value for the Government KO is SSA unless action is ≥ $100M or agency head delegates authority to another for a particular acquisition or class of acquisitions

12. Source Selection Advisory Council • Roles & Responsibilities • Assure resources & time are not excessive • Review & recommend approval of evaluation factors • Determine importance of the factors • Approve membership of SSEB • Ensure training of SSEB • Review analysis of SSEB evaluation results • Recommend sources if requested • Review source selection decision document Group of Professional or Managerial Government Personnel Chosen From Functional Fields Related to the Acquisition SSAC Chair is appointed by the SSA

13. Source Selection Evaluation Board Roles & Responsibilities • Conduct comprehensive, fair and impartial review and evaluation of proposals • Identify aspects which require clarifications or have weaknesses, deficiencies and strengths • Rate each proposal in relation to the evaluation standards • Prepare and submit evaluation report • Brief SSAC/SSA • Participate in debriefings Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) • Group of fully qualified Government personnel • Representing technical & functional disciplines • Possess professional skills & knowledge required to evaluate proposals • Report the group’s findings to the KO or SSA

14. Other Team Member - Considerations Another challenge in the contingency environment is access to subject matter experts (SME’s) Thought and coordination will be required to identify source selection Advisors Potential candidates:

15. Final Evaluation Discussions Competitive Range Determination • Revise • Strengths • Deficiencies • Weaknesses • Ratings Discussions Final Proposal Final Evaluation Briefing Initial Evaluation Briefing • Best Value Decision Award Award w/o Discussion Evaluation Process Initial Evaluation Evaluation Factors • Strengths • Deficiencies • Weaknesses • Ratings E v a l u a t I o n Offeror Proposals Debriefs

16. Proposals will be evaluated against the evaluation factors in the solicitation Technical evaluation team responsible for evaluating technical proposals: Assign ratings to proposals Make recommendations on clarifications needed and deficiencies identified Reviewing revised offers Assist during negotiations Participate in debriefings Criteria and Proposal Evaluation Non-price evaluation factors should be: • Clear • Relevant • Ultimately, differentiate between proposals Avoid • Too many factors and/or sub factors • Factors which unfairly limit competition Tailor factors to the individual procurement

17. SOW, PWS, Specifications, and/or other customer requirements are principle source for identifying & developing evaluation factors Evaluation factors are critical for selecting (identifying) the best offeror Define how (and ultimately who) the awardee will be selected Who is selected influences probability of successful contract performance Evaluation Factor Overview Two Categories of Evaluation Factors • All Factors or Sub-factors (when used) must define minimum: • Performance or capability requirements or characteristics • To evaluate proposals against. FAR 15.304(c)

18. Request For Proposals (RFP) Section L Section M Evaluation factors for award Identify all significant factors and subfactors that will be considered in awarding the contract and their relative importance: Significantly more important than cost or price; Approximately equal to cost or price; or Significantly less important than cost or price Clear and complete description of evaluation factors and subfactors When using the Commercial Contract Format; tailoring 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items, and/or an Addendum to 52.212-1 in place of Section M “Exactly how it will be evaluated” Instructions, conditions, and notices to offerors or respondents Solicitation provisions, information and instructions to guide offerors or respondents in preparing proposals or responses to requests for information. • Specific format or severable parts to facilitate evaluation • When using the Commercial Contract Format; tailoring 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items, is used in place of Section L “Exactly what to submit”

19. Evaluation Methodologies SSEB shall conduct an in-depth review of each proposal against the factors and subfactors established in the solicitation • Cost or Price • Technical Rating • Method 1: Combined Technical/Risk Rating • Method 2: Separate Technical /Risk Rating • Past Performance • Relevancy of recent effort by offeror to SS effort • How well the contractor performed on the contracts • Small Business

20. Combined Technical/Risk Ratings

21. Technical Ratings

22. Technical Risk Ratings

23. Past Performance Relevancy Ratings

24. Performance Confidence Assessments

25. Lowest Price Technically Acceptable • LPTA Price Evaluation • Fair & reasonable price determination based on adequate competition • Price Analysis • May conduct cost analysis to support determination of fair and reasonable proposed prices

26. Receive/Evaluate Proposal • Conduct Pre-proposal Training • Perform Initial Screening of Proposals • Identify & Document areas of the Proposal that are Resolvable through Clarifications • Prepare an Initial Evaluation Identifying and Documenting Proposal Deficiencies, Strengths, Weaknesses, Risks and IFNs • Assign Ratings for Non-Cost Evaluation Factors • Prepare Summary Evaluation Report FAR 15.305

27. Competitive Range • Most highly rated proposals • Efficient competition • Limited to number permitting efficient competition • Proposals can be subsequently removed from range • Narrow vs. wide competitive range • SSA approves competitive range, deficiencies/clarifications • Notify all offerors outside the competitive range • Eliminated offerors may request a debriefing • Conduct Pre-award debriefings FAR 15.306(c) Do NOT set predetermined cut-off ratings or number of offerors!!

28. Reminder - Debriefings Pre-Award Post Award (decision) An offeror, upon its written request received by the agency within 3 days after the date on which that offeror has received notification of contract award in accordance with 15.503(b), shall be debriefed and furnished the basis for the selection decision and contract award. Debriefing should occur within 5 days after receipt of the written request. If failed to submit a timely request, they are not entitled to a debriefing but they may be accommodated. • Offerors excluded before award may request a debriefing before award. • Written request for debriefing to the contracting officer within 3 days after receipt of the notice of exclusion from the competition. • Pre-award debriefings shall not disclose: • The number of offerors; • The identity of other offerors proposals; • The ranking of otherofferors; • The evaluation of other offerors; • Or any of the information prohibited in 15.506(e)

29. Award Recommendation/Decision • Source Selection Decision must: • Comply with law and regulations • Follow criteria set forth in the RFP • May request rankings or recommendations • Demonstrate sound business judgment • Be able to withstand a protest • Exercise independent judgment • Source Selection Decision Document (SSDD) • Formally documents decision and rationale SSA Prerogative • Rationale for selection • Technical evaluation reports and recommendations • Document tradeoffs both: • Quantitative • Subjective • May exercise independent judgment but must follow selection criteria FAR 15.308

30. Source Selection Information • Acquisition plan • Source selection plan • Solicitation • Evaluations • Competitive range determinations • Discussions • Final proposal revisions • Source selection decision memorandum • Debriefings

31. Contingency Location CHALLENGES • Limited Subject Matter Expertise • Inability to have personnel – full time SSEB members • Transient nature of requiring organizations • Local Vendor knowledge of process • CAAF + Conflicts of Interest • Use of Oral Proposals/Presentations • How will they be evaluated? (must be clear in RFP) • When & where – AT/FP concerns? • Safeguarding SS information • Unauthorized disclosure of information • Appearance of, or actual conflicts of interest • Physical Security

32. Exercise – Case Study