[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 252 (Tuesday, December 31, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69288-69291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32807]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
48 CFR Parts 5, 13, 14, 15, 19, 25, 33, and 36

[FAC 90-44; FAR Case 96-304; Item III]
RIN 9000-AH13


Federal Acquisition Regulation; Preaward Debriefings

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense 
Acquisition Regulations Council have agreed on a final rule amending 
the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement Section 4104 of 
the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. The rule requires that, prior to 
contract award, contracting officers provide a debriefing to any 
interested offeror on the reasons for that offeror's exclusion from the 
competitive range in a competitive negotiation. This regulatory action 
was not subject to Office of Management and Budget review under 
Executive Order 12866, dated September 30, 1993. This is not a major 
rule under 5 U.S.C. 804. The Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1996 was 
subsequently renamed the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ralph DeStefano at (202) 501-1758 
in reference to this FAR case. For general information, contact the FAR 
Secretariat, Room 4037, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405 (202) 501-
4755. Please cite FAC 90-44, FAR case 96-304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Section 4104 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-106) 
requires that, prior to contract award, contracting officers provide a 
debriefing to any interested offeror on the reasons for that offeror's 
exclusion from the competitive range in a competitive negotiation. The 
contracting officer may refuse a preaward debriefing request if it is 
not in the best interest of the Government to

[[Page 69289]]

conduct a debriefing at that time. Section 4104 also requires that the 
debriefing include the following information: The agency's evaluation 
of the significant elements in the offeror's proposal; a summary of the 
rationale for the offeror's exclusion; and reasonable responses to 
relevant questions posed by the debriefed offeror as to whether the 
source selection procedures in the solicitation and applicable 
regulations were followed by the agency.
    A proposed rule requesting public comments was published in the 
Federal Register at 61 FR 32580, June 24, 1996. Five comments were 
received from four respondents and were considered in developing the 
final rule.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration certify that this 
final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because the rule provides for 
earlier debriefings to unsuccessful offerors but does not significantly 
alter the amount of information provided to unsuccessful offerors.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the FAR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
requirements, or collections of information from offerors, contractors, 
or members of the public which require the approval of the Office of 
Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 5, 13, 14, 15, 19, 25, 33, and 36

    Government procurement.

    Dated: December 19, 1996.
Edward C. Loeb,
Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.

    Therefore, 48 CFR Parts 5, 13, 14, 15, 19, 25, 33, and 36 are 
amended as set forth below:
    1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Parts 5, 13, 14, 15, 19, 25, 
33, and 36 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42 
U.S.C. 2473(c).


Chapter 1  [Amended]

    2. In the list below, for each section listed in the left column, 
remove the citation listed in the middle column, and insert the 
citation in the last column:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Section                                 Remove                              Insert             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.303(b)(2)..............................  15.1002(c)                          15.1003(b)                       
13.106-2(c)(3)...........................  15.1002(c)(2)                       15.1003(b)(2)                    
15.412(d)................................  15.1002(c)(1)                       15.1003(b)(1)                    
15.609(c)................................  15.1002(b)                          15.1003                          
19.302(d)(1).............................  15.1002(b)(2)                       15.1003(a)(2)                    
19.501(h)(1).............................  15.1002(b)(2)                       15.1003(a)(2)                    
19.501(h)(2).............................  15.1002(b)(2)                       15.1003(a)(2)                    
25.405(e)................................  15.1002                             15.1003                          
33.103(f)(3).............................  15.1004                             15.1006                          
33.104(c)(1).............................  15.1004                             15.1006                          
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PART 14--SEALED BIDDING

    3. Section 14.503-1 is amended by revising the second sentence of 
paragraph (g) to read as follows:


14.503-1  Step one.

* * * * *
    (g) * * * Upon written request, the contracting officer shall 
debrief unsuccessful offerors (see 15.1005 and 15.1006).
* * * * *

PART 15--CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION

    4. Section 15.612 is amended by revising paragraph (f) to read as 
follows:


15.612  Formal source selection.

* * * * *
    (f) Notices and debriefings. See 15.1003, 15.1004, 15.1005, and 
15.1006.
    5. Subpart 15.10 is revised to read as follows:

Subpart 15.10--Preaward, Award, and Postaward Notifications, 
Protests, and Mistakes

Sec.
15.1001  Definition.
15.1002  Applicability.
15.1003  Notifications to unsuccessful offerors.
15.1004  Notification to successful offeror.
15.1005  Preaward debriefing of offerors.
15.1006  Postaward debriefing of offerors.
15.1007  Protests against award.
15.1008  Discovery of mistakes.


15.1001  Definition.

    Day, as used in this subpart, has the meaning set forth at 33.101.


15.1002  Applicability.

    This subpart applies to the use of competitive proposals, as 
described in 6.102(b), and a combination of competitive procedures, as 
described in 6.102(c). To the extent practicable, however, the 
procedures and intent of this subpart, with reasonable modification, 
should be followed for acquisitions described in 6.102(d): broad agency 
announcements, small business innovation research contracts, and 
architect-engineer contracts. However, they do not apply to multiple 
award schedules, as described in 6.102(d)(3).


15.1003  Notifications to unsuccessful offerors.

    (a) Preaward notices--(1) Preaward notices of exclusion from 
competitive range. The contracting officer shall promptly notify 
offerors when they are excluded from the competitive range or otherwise 
excluded from further consideration. The notice shall--
    (i) State the basis for the determination and that a proposal 
revision will not be considered;
    (ii) Advise the offeror that, if a preaward or postaward debriefing 
is desired, a written request must be submitted to the contracting 
officer within three days; and
    (iii) Indicate that, absent receipt of a timely written request, 
the Government is not obligated to provide a preaward or a postaward 
debriefing.
    (2) Preaward notices for small business set-asides. In a small 
business set-aside (see subpart 19.5), upon completion of negotiations 
and determinations of responsibility, but prior to award, the 
contacting officer shall notify each unsuccessful offeror in writing of 
the name and location of the apparent successful offeror. The notice 
also shall state that--
    (i) The Government will not consider subsequent revisions of the 
unsuccessful offeror's proposal; and
    (ii) No response is required unless a basis exists to challenge the 
small

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business size status of the apparent successful offeror. The notice is 
not required when the contracting officer determines in writing that 
the urgency of the requirement necessitates award without delay.
    (b) Postaward notices. Within three days after the date of contract 
award, the contracting officer shall provide written notification to 
each unsuccessful offeror (unless preaward notice was given under 
paragraph (a) of this section).
    (1) 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 unit prices of each award (if the 
number of items or other factors makes listing unit prices 
impracticable, only the total contract price need be furnished); and
    (v) In general terms, the reason 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 paragraphs (b)(1) (i) through (v) of this 
section to unsuccessful offerors in solicitations using the simplified 
acquisition procedures in part 13.


15.1004  Notification to successful offeror.

    The contracting officer shall award a contract with reasonable 
promptness to the successful offeror (selected in accordance with 
15.611(d)) by transmitting a written notice of the award to that 
offeror (but see 15.608(b)). When an award is made to an offeror for 
less than all of the items that may be awarded to that offeror and 
additional items are being withheld for subsequent award, each notice 
shall state that the Government may make subsequent awards on those 
additional items within the offer acceptance period.


15.1005  Preaward debriefing of offerors.

    Offerors excluded from the competitive range or otherwise excluded 
from further consideration prior to the final source selection decision 
may request a debriefing before award (10 U.S.C. 2305(b)(6)(A) and 41 
U.S.C. 253b(f)-(h)). The process for requesting and conducting preaward 
debriefings is as follows:
    (a) The offeror may request a preaward debriefing by submitting a 
written request for debriefing to the contracting officer within three 
days of the receipt of notice of exclusion from the competitive range. 
If the offeror does not submit a timely request, the offeror need not 
be given either a preaward or a postaward debriefing. Offerors are 
entitled to no more than one debriefing on each acquisition.
    (b) The contracting officer should provide a debriefing to the 
offeror as soon as practicable. If providing a preaward debriefing is 
not in the best interest of the Government at the time it is requested, 
the contracting officer may delay the debriefing, but shall provide the 
debriefing no later than the time postaward debriefings are provided 
under 15.1006. In that event, the contracting officer shall include the 
information at 15.1006(d) in the debriefing.
    (c) Debriefings may be done orally, in writing, or by any other 
method acceptable to the contracting officer.
    (d) The contracting officer or designee shall chair any debriefing 
session held. Individuals who conducted the evaluation shall provide 
support.
    (e) At a minimum, preaward debriefings shall include--
    (1) The agency's evaluation of significant elements in the 
offeror's proposal;
    (2) A summary of the rationale for excluding the offeror from the 
competitive range; and
    (3) Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source 
selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable 
regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed in the 
process of excluding the offeror from the competitive range.
    (f) Preaward debriefings shall not disclose--
    (1) The number of offerors;
    (2) The identity of other offerors;
    (3) The content of other offerors' proposals;
    (4) The ranking of other offerors;
    (5) The evaluation of other offerors; or
    (6) Any of the information prohibited in 15.1006(e).
    (g) The contracting officer shall include an official summary of 
the debriefing in the contract file.


15.1006  Postaward debriefing of offerors.

    (a) An offeror shall be debriefed and furnished the basis for the 
source selection decision and contract award, if its written request is 
received by the contracting officer within three days after the offeror 
receives notice of contract award. Offerors that requested a postaward 
debriefing at the time they were eliminated from the competitive range 
or otherwise excluded from further consideration prior to the final 
source selection decision shall also be provided a debriefing at this 
time. An offeror that failed to submit a timely request under 
15.1003(a) or 15.1005(a) is not entitled to a debriefing. When 
practicable, debriefing requests received more than three days after 
the offeror receives notice of contract award may be accommodated. 
However, accommodating such untimely debriefing requests does not 
extend the time within which suspension of performance can be required, 
as this accommodation is not a ``required debriefing'' as described in 
part 33. To the maximum extent practicable, the debriefing should occur 
within five days after receipt of the written request.
    (b) Debriefings of successful and unsuccessful offerors may be done 
orally, in writing, or by any other method acceptable to the 
contracting officer.
    (c) The contracting officer or designee shall chair any debriefing 
session held. Individuals who conducted the evaluation shall provide 
support.
    (d) At a minimum, the debriefing information shall include--
    (1) The Government's evaluation of the significant weaknesses or 
deficiencies in the offeror's proposal, if applicable;
    (2) The overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating, if 
applicable, of the successful offeror and the debriefed offeror;
    (3) The overall ranking of all offerors when any ranking was 
developed by the agency during the source selection;
    (4) A summary of the rationale for award;
    (5) For acquisitions of commercial end items, the make and model of 
the item to be delivered by the successful offeror; and
    (6) Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source 
selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable 
regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed.
    (e) The debriefing shall not include point-by-point comparisons of 
the debriefed offeror's proposal with those of other offerors. 
Moreover, the debriefing shall not reveal any information exempt from 
release under the Freedom of Information Act including--
    (1) Trade secrets;
    (2) Privileged or confidential manufacturing processes and 
techniques;
    (3) Commercial and financial information that is privileged or 
confidential, including cost

[[Page 69291]]

breakdowns, profit, indirect cost rates, and similar information; and
    (4) The names of individuals providing reference information about 
an offeror's past performance.
    (f) The contracting officer shall include an official summary of 
the debriefing in the contract file.


15.1007  Protests against award.

    (a) Before filing a protest, prior to award of a contract, of the 
exclusion of an offeror from the competitive range (or otherwise from 
further consideration), use of alternative dispute resolution 
techniques is encouraged (see subpart 33.2).
    (b) Protests against award in negotiated acquisitions shall be 
treated substantially the same as in sealed bidding (see subpart 33.1).
    (c) If, within one year of contract award, a protest causes the 
agency to issue either a new solicitation or a new request for best and 
final offers on the protested contract award, the agency shall make 
available to all prospective offerors for the new solicitation, or 
original offerors that are requested to submit new best and final 
offers--
    (1) Information provided in any debriefings conducted on the 
original award about the successful offeror's proposal; and
    (2) Other nonproprietary information provided to the original 
offerors.


15.1008  Discovery of mistakes.

    For treatment of mistakes in an offeror's proposal that are 
discovered before award, see 15.607. Mistakes in a contractor's 
proposal that are disclosed after award shall be processed in 
accordance with 14.407-4.

PART 36--CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS

    6. Section 36.607 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


36.607  Release of information on firm selection.

* * * * *
    (b) Debriefings of successful and unsuccessful firms will be held 
after final selection has taken place and will be conducted, to the 
extent practicable, in accordance with 15.1004, 15.1006 (b) through 
(f), and 15.1007(c). Note that 15.1006 (d)(2) through (d)(5) do not 
apply to architect-engineer contracts.

[FR Doc. 96-32807 Filed 12-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-EP-M