15.503 Notifications to unsuccessful offerors.

(a) Preaward notices-

(1) Preaward notices of exclusion from competitive range. The contracting officer shall notify

offerors promptly in writing when their proposals are excluded from the competitive range or

otherwise eliminated from the competition. The notice shall state the basis for the determination and

that a proposal revision will not be considered.

(2) Preaward notices for small business programs.

(i) In addition to the notice in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the contracting officer shall notify

each offeror in writing prior to award and upon completion of negotiations and determinations of

responsibility-

(A) When using a small business set-aside (see subpart 19.5);

(B) When using the HUBZone procedures in 19.1305 or 19.1307;

(C) When using the service-disabled veteran-owned small business procedures in 19.1405; or

(D) When using the Women-Owned Small Business Program procedures in 19.1505.

(ii) The notice shall state-

(A) The name and address of the apparently successful offeror;

(B) That the Government will not consider subsequent revisions of the offeror’s proposal; and

(C) That no response is required unless a basis exists to challenge the size status or small business

status of the apparently successful offeror (e.g., small business concern, small disadvantaged

business concern, HUBZone small business concern, service-disabled veteran-owned small business

concern, economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concern, or women-owned small

business concern eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business Program).

(iii) The notice is not required when the contracting officer determines in writing that the urgency of

the requirement necessitates award without delay or when the contract is entered into under the

8(a) program (see 19.805-2).

(b) Postaward notices.

(1) Within 3 days after the date of contract award, the contracting officer shall provide written

notification to each offeror whose proposal was in the competitive range but was not selected for

award (10 U.S.C. 3304 and 41 U.S.C.3704) or had not been previously notified under paragraph (a)

of this section. The notice shall include-

(i) The number of offerors solicited;

(ii) The number of proposals received;
(iii) The name and address of each offeror receiving an award;

(iv) The items, quantities, and any stated unit prices of each award. If the number of items or other

factors makes listing any stated unit prices impracticable at that time, only the total contract price

need be furnished in the notice. However, the items, quantities, and any stated unit prices of each

award shall be made publicly available, upon request; and

(v) In general terms, the reason(s) the offeror’s proposal was not accepted, unless the price

information in paragraph (b)(1)(iv) of this section readily reveals the reason. In no event shall an

offeror’s cost breakdown, profit, overhead rates, trade secrets, manufacturing processes and

techniques, or other confidential business information be disclosed to any other offeror.

(2) Upon request, the contracting officer shall furnish the information described in paragraph (b)(1)

of this section to unsuccessful offerors in solicitations using simplified acquisition procedures in

part 13.

(3) Upon request, the contracting officer shall provide the information in paragraph (b)(1) of this

section to unsuccessful offerors that received a preaward notice of exclusion from the competitive

range.

Parent topic: Subpart 15.5 - Preaward, Award, and Postaward Notifications, Protests, and Mistakes