FAC FAC Source Selection & Award 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FAR 15.302, what is the primary goal of the source selection process?
- To select the lowest-priced offeror regardless of technical factors
- To select the offeror whose proposal represents the best value to the government (Correct answer)
- To ensure all small businesses receive equal contract awards
- To minimize the number of proposals evaluated
Correct answer: To select the offeror whose proposal represents the best value to the government
FAR 15.302 states the objective of source selection is to select the proposal that offers the best value to the government, considering both price and non-price factors.
Question 2: What document establishes the evaluation criteria and their relative importance for a negotiated procurement?
- Statement of Work (SOW)
- Source Selection Plan (SSP) (Correct answer)
- Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE)
- Market Research Report
Correct answer: Source Selection Plan (SSP)
The Source Selection Plan defines the evaluation factors, their weights or relative importance, and the procedures the Source Selection Authority will use.
Question 3: Under FAR 15.305, which evaluation factor is always required to be considered in source selection for negotiated acquisitions?
- Technical approach
- Past performance
- Price or cost (Correct answer)
- Small business participation
Correct answer: Price or cost
FAR 15.305(a) mandates that price or cost to the government must always be evaluated in a negotiated source selection.
Question 4: What is the purpose of establishing a competitive range under FAR 15.306(c)?
- To identify the single most qualified offeror before negotiations begin
- To limit discussions to offerors most likely to receive the award based on initial proposals (Correct answer)
- To eliminate all small business offerors from competition
- To establish price ceilings for negotiations
Correct answer: To limit discussions to offerors most likely to receive the award based on initial proposals
The competitive range includes the most highly rated proposals so the government can conduct meaningful discussions with viable offerors.
Question 5: Under FAR 15.306(d), during discussions the government must at minimum:
- Reveal all offerors' technical scores to each other
- Indicate significant weaknesses, deficiencies, and adverse past performance to each offeror in the competitive range (Correct answer)
- Share the IGCE with all offerors
- Require all offerors to revise their price proposals
Correct answer: Indicate significant weaknesses, deficiencies, and adverse past performance to each offeror in the competitive range
FAR 15.306(d) requires the CO to point out significant weaknesses, deficiencies, and adverse past performance references so offerors have the opportunity to address them.
Question 6: What is a 'best value tradeoff' source selection methodology?
- A method that always awards to the lowest-priced technically acceptable offer
- A method that compares non-price factors against price differences to determine which offer provides the greatest overall benefit (Correct answer)
- A method restricted to contracts exceeding $10 million
- A method that uses only past performance as the selection criterion
Correct answer: A method that compares non-price factors against price differences to determine which offer provides the greatest overall benefit
The best value tradeoff approach allows the Source Selection Authority to pay a price premium for superior technical or past performance factors when warranted.
FAC FAC Source Selection & Award 1
Under FAR 15.302, what is the primary goal of the source selection process?