# Presentation: 272509

- Module 9 –
- Solicitation, Evaluation and Award

- Topic 1-
- Introduction/Objectives

## Source Selection

- Process by which the government solicits and evaluates bids and selects a winning contractor.
- Based on Request for Proposal (RFP).
- RFP includes the essential features of the business arrangement with a contractor.

## Learning Objectives

- At the end of this module, you will be able to:

- Identify source selection criteria, including risk analysis methods.
- Define the different source selection criteria.
- Discuss the process of selecting sources for “best value”.

## Learning Objectives (cont.)

- At the end of this module, you will be able to:

- Describe the function of the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB).
- Describe the function of the Source Selection Advisory Counsel/Committee (SSAC).
- Discuss the responsibility of the Source Selection Authority (SSA).

- Topic 2-
- Solicitation of Sources

## Source Selection Plan

- Planning is tailored to reflect the complexity of the acquisition.

- In formally structured source selections, plan called Source Selection Evaluation Plan (SSEP).
- Plan often referred to as Technical Evaluation Plan in less formal acquisitions.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- SSEP is developed prior to or concurrently with the preparation of the solicitation.

- States your intentions for organizing and conducting proposal.
- Contains acquisition sensitive information not released outside source selection organization.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- Frequently, the project manager writes the source selection plan

- Even if they do not do the actual writing, they certainly have to take ownership of it.
- The SSEP content bears strongly on the PM’s ability to succeed with the project.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- Benefits of strong SSEP:

- Defines specific approach.
- Describes the evaluation factors.
- Provides essential guidance to the solicitation developers.
- Serves as charter and guide for source selection team on roles of team members.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- No specific format, but you should include:

- Product or service you are acquiring.
- Description of evaluation organization structure.  Include:
- Organization chart, showing the evaluation team's structure.
- The evaluation team's agenda and schedule.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- Plans for pre-solicitation activities such as:
- Issuing a draft solicitation.
- Holding a pre-solicitation and/or pre-proposal conference.
- Acquisition strategy summary.
- Proposed evaluation factors, relative importance, and evaluation standards.

## Source Selection Plan (cont.)

- Description of the evaluation process you are using (i.e., lowest price technically acceptable or best value).
- Schedule of significant milestones.

## Question

- Why should you provide a description of the evaluation organization structure?

## Evaluation Factors

- Cost/price is always an evaluation factor.
- You may need capabilities, qualifications, or experience that low cost/price offeror might not possess.
- Non-price evaluation have a strong bearing on the source selection decision.

## Evaluation Factors (cont.)

- According to FAR 15.304, evaluation factors must:

- Represent key areas of importance and emphasis to be considered in source selection decision.
- Support meaningful comparison and discrimination between and among competing proposals.

## Evaluation Factors (cont.)

- Evaluation factors subject to following requirements:

- Price or cost evaluated in _every_ source selection.
- Quality addressed through consideration of non-cost evaluation factors including technical excellence and past performance.

## Question

- Why do you think price/cost and past performance are mandatory evaluation factors?

## Example

- You are procuring an automobile.  Your first step is to determine the relative importance of the Price and Non-Price factors for your acquisition.  The price factor is the MSRP on the window, and non-price factors include the quality and performance history of the automobile.

- Your job is to determine how much weight you’ll give to the price and non-price factors.  Is money no object?  Buy the highest quality car with the best performance history without putting as much weight on price.  Is money tight?  Weight the price of the car more heavily in your decision.

## Past Performance

- Benefits acquisition in two ways:

- Impossible for offeror to convey in proposal actual cost and how it will perform requirement.
- Better tool is to examine past track record on similar contracts.
- Permits team to recognize a good performer.

## Question

- What are the advantages to your agency of recognizing a good performer?

## Evaluation Factors

- _All_ factors are contained in Section M of Statement of Work (SOW):

- Inform offerors of all significant considerations upon which proposals will be evaluated.
- Should be limited to areas which reveal substantive differences or risk levels.

## Evaluation Factors (cont.)

- Relative importance stated in descending order of importance.
- Note: _Weighting_ of factors is not communicated with the contractor.  This information only in source selection plan.
- Factors depend on the requirement.

## Question

- As a program/project manager, what are some of the evaluation factors you have found most effective at revealing substantive differences between competing offers?

## Cost Realism Analysis

- DEFINTION:  An independent review of each offeror's cost proposal to determine that the specific estimated proposed cost elements:

- Realistic for the work to be performed.
- Reflect clear understanding of requirements.
- Consistent with unique methods of performance in offeror's proposal.

## Use a Detailed SSEP

- Remember, the solicitation is the official vehicle to communicate to offerors how you will choose the proposal for award.
- This is why a detailed Source Selection Evaluation Plan (SSEP) is essential to a successful acquisition.

- Topic 3 -
- Source Selection for Best Value

## Best Value Selection

- Exists because of need for flexibility to select offer that may *not* be lowest cost offer. Decision involves comparison of:

- Non-cost strengths
- Weaknesses
- Risks
- Cost/Price

## Question

- What are some examples of non-cost strengths?

## Best Value Selection (cont.)

- Also known as “tradeoff process.”  Major steps include:

- Design strategy that reflects results of market research and acquisition circumstances.
- Establish and document a source selection plan:
- Acquisition goals and objectives.
- Evaluation factors.
- Evaluation standards.
- Selection process.

## Best Value Selection (cont.)

- Structure solicitation to communicate:
- Requirements.
- Objectives.
- Factors and sub-factors.
- Information offerors must submit.
- Methodology for evaluating the proposals.
- Evaluate offers based on source selection plan.

## Best Value Selection (cont.)

- Compare strengths, weaknesses, risks, and probable costs and decide which combination represents the best value.
- Document source selection decision including tradeoffs and rationale used.
- Award the contract, notify offerors and debrief them upon their request.
- Document lessons learned that might benefit future source selections.

## Question

- Why is it critical to document your tradeoff decisions?

- Topic 4 -
- Formal Source Selection

## Formal Source Selection

- The formal source selection process includes these evaluation authorities:

- Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB)
- Source Selection Advisory Council (SSAC)
- Source Selection Authority (SSA)

## Formal Source Selection (cont.)

- Source Selection Evaluation Board:

- Evaluated and rates each proposal against the requirements in the RFP.
- Identifies weaknesses/significant weaknesses.
- Identifies any deficiency found.

## Formal Source Selection (cont.)

- Source Selection Advisory Council (SSAC):

- Performs comparative analysis of SSEB's evaluation and forwards recommendation to the Source Selection Authority (SSA).
- Functions of SSAC may be assigned to the SSEB, eliminating need for a separate SSAC.

## Formal Source Selection (cont.)

- Source Selection Authority (SSA):

- Oversees source selection process and selects best value proposal.
- Responsible for integrity of the process.

- Topic 5 -
- Review

## Learning Objectives

- Recall the learning objectives for this module:

- Identify source selection criteria, including risk analysis methods.
- Define the different source selection criteria.
- Discuss the process of selecting sources for “best value”.

## Learning Objectives (cont.)

- Describe the function of the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB).
- Describe the function of the Source Selection Advisory Counsel/Committee (SSAC).
- Discuss the responsibility of the Source Selection Authority (SSA).

## Key Points

- Best Value Source Selection is method whereby offer is selected for overall value.

- Process selected during development of SSEP.
- Exists because the lowest price does not always reflect the best value.
- Compares strengths, weaknesses, risks, and cost/price.

## Key Points

- In formal source selection, these three authorities can exist:

- Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB)
- Source Selection Advisory Council (SSAC)
- Source Selection Authority (SSA)