Open bids, evaluate and award
Opening
Section titled “Opening”Bids are sealed: encrypted when submitted, so no one at the agency can read them before the opening. Two people with the bid-opening duty open them together at the public opening. Late bids are refused.
Responsiveness
Section titled “Responsiveness”Each bid is checked for its required documents and bid bond. Non-responsive bids are marked with the reason.
Evaluation
Section titled “Evaluation”- Choose Evaluation panel and add evaluators.
- Each evaluator attests that they have no conflict of interest before they can score. The person who drafted the solicitation cannot evaluate.
- Evaluators score each criterion; price is scored from the bid tabulation.
Negotiation and best and final offers
Section titled “Negotiation and best and final offers”Shortlist bidders, negotiate in the portal, and ask for best and final offers. BAFOs are sealed like the original bids.
Reverse auctions
Section titled “Reverse auctions”For commodities, run a reverse auction: bidders see their rank and bid down until it closes. The award uses the auction price.
Choose Recommend award. You can award to one supplier, to several (multiple award) or line by line (split award), with a line-by-line price comparison. The person who recommends cannot approve the award.
Approving the award issues a notice of intent and starts the protest period. Protests are recorded and decided on the solicitation. Once the period ends, the award stands and the contract is drafted from the clause library.