1553 RECEIPT AND EVALUATION OF STEP ONE PROPOSALS

1553.1 Upon receipt, the contracting officer shall do the following:

(a) Safeguard proposals against disclosure to unauthorized persons;

(b) Accept and handle data with restrictive disclosure procedures in accordance with chapter 31 of this title; and

(c) Remove any reference to price or cost.

1553.2 The contracting officer shall establish a time period for evaluating technical proposals. The period may vary with the complexity and the number of proposals received.

1553.3 Evaluations shall be based on the criteria in the request for proposals without consideration of responsibility.

1553.4 Proposals shall be categorized as one (1) of the following:

(a) Acceptable;

(b) Reasonably susceptible of being made acceptable; or

(c) Unacceptable.

1553.5 Any proposal which modifies or fails to conform to the essential requirements or specifications of the request for technical proposals shall be considered nonresponsive and categorized as unacceptable.

1553.6 The contracting officer may proceed directly with step two if there are a sufficient number of acceptable proposals to ensure adequate price competition under step two, and if further time, effort, and delay to make additional proposals acceptable and thereby increase competition would not be in the best interests of the District.

1553.7 If it is not in the best interests of the District to proceed directly with step two, the contracting officer shall request bidders whose proposals may be made acceptable to submit additional clarifying or supplemental information.

1553.8 If discussions are held, the contracting officer shall identify the nature of the deficiencies in the proposal or the nature of the additional information required.

1553.9 No proposal shall be discussed with any offeror other than the submitting offeror.

1553.10 When initiating a request for additional information, the contracting officer shall fix an appropriate time for bidders to conclude discussions, if any, submit all additional information, and incorporate that additional information as part of their proposals.

1553.11 The time for completing the actions under §1553.10 may be extended at the discretion of the contracting officer.

1553.12 If the additional information incorporated as part of a proposal within the final time fixed by the contracting officer establishes that the proposal is acceptable, it shall be so categorized. Otherwise, it shall be categorized as unacceptable.

1553.13 If a technical proposal is found unacceptable, either initially or after clarification, the contracting

officer shall promptly notify the offeror of the basis of the determination and notify the offeror that a revision of the proposal will not be considered.

1553.14 Upon written request, and as soon as possible after award, the contracting officer may debrief unsuccessful offerors.

1553.15 If it is necessary to discontinue two-step sealed bidding, the contracting officer shall include a statement of the facts and circumstances in the contract file.

1553.16 Each offeror shall be notified in writing of the discontinuance of two-step sealed bidding.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 1443 (February 26, 1988).