## Subpart 14.5—Two-Step Sealed Bidding

### 14.501 General.

Two-step sealed bidding is a combination of competitive procedures designed to obtain the benefits of sealed bidding when adequate specifications are not available. An objective is to permit the development of a sufficiently descriptive and not unduly restrictive statement of the Government’s requirements, including an adequate technical data package, so that subsequent acquisitions may be made by conventional sealed bidding. This method is especially useful in acquisitions requiring technical proposals, particularly those for complex items. It is conducted in two steps:

(a) Step one consists of the request for, submission, evaluation, and (if necessary) discussion of a technical proposal. No pricing is involved. The objective is to determine the acceptability of the supplies or services offered. As used in this context, the word “technical” has a broad connotation and includes, among other things, the engineering approach, special manufacturing processes, and special testing techniques. It is the proper step for clarification of questions relating to technical requirements. Conformity to the technical requirements is resolved in this step, but not responsibility as defined in 9.1.

(b) Step two involves the submission of sealed priced bids by those who submitted acceptable technical proposals in step one. Bids submitted in step two are evaluated and the awards made in accordance with subparts 14.3 and 14.4.

### 14.502 Conditions for use.

(a) Unless other factors require the use of sealed bidding, two-step sealed bidding may be used in preference to negotiation when all of the following conditions are present:

(1) Available specifications or purchase descriptions are not definite or complete or may be too restrictive without technical evaluation, and any necessary discussion, of the technical aspects of the requirement to ensure mutual understanding between each source and the Government.

(2) Definite criteria exist for evaluating technical proposals.

(3) More than one technically qualified source is expected to be available.

(4) Sufficient time will be available for use of the two-step method.

(5) A firm-fixed-price contract or a fixed-price contract with economic price adjustment will be used.

(b) None of the following precludes the use of two-step sealed bidding:

(1) Multi-year contracting.

(2) Government property to be made available to the successful bidder.

(3) A total small business set-aside (see 19.502-2).

(4) The use of a set-aside or price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns (see subpart 19.13).

(5) The use of a set-aside for service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns (see subpart 19.14).

(6) The use of a set-aside for economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business Program (see subpart 19.15).

(7) A first or subsequent production quantity is being acquired under a performance specification.

### 14.503 Procedures.

### 14.503-1 Step one.

(a) Requests for technical proposals shall be synopsized in accordance with Part 5. The request must include, as a minimum, the following:

(1) A description of the supplies or services required.

(2) A statement of intent to use the two-step method.

(3) The requirements of the technical proposal.

(4) The evaluation criteria, to include all factors and any significant subfactors.

(5) A statement that the technical proposals shall not include prices or pricing information.

(6) The date, or date and hour, by which the proposal must be received (see 14.201-6(r)).

(7) A statement that—

(i) In the second step, only bids based upon technical proposals determined to be acceptable, either initially or as a result of discussions, will be considered for awards, and

(ii) Each bid in the second step must be based on the bidder’s own technical proposals.

(8) A statement that—

(i) Offerors should submit proposals that are acceptable without additional explanation or information,

(ii) The Government may make a final determination regarding a proposal’s acceptability solely on the basis of the proposal as submitted; and

(iii) The Government may proceed with the second step without requesting further information from any offeror; however, the Government may request additional information from offerors of proposals that it considers reasonably susceptible of being made acceptable, and may discuss proposals with their offerors.

(9) A statement that a notice of unacceptability will be forwarded to the offeror upon completion of the proposal evaluation and final determination of unacceptability.

(10) A statement either that only one technical proposal may be submitted by each offeror or that multiple technical proposals may be submitted. When specifications permit different technical approaches, it is generally in the Government’s interest to authorize multiple proposals. If multiple proposals are authorized, see 14.201-6(s).

(b) Information on delivery or performance requirements may be of assistance to bidders in determining whether or not to submit a proposal and may be included in the request. The request shall also indicate that the information is not binding on the Government and that the actual delivery or performance requirements will be contained in the invitation issued under step two.

(c) Upon receipt, the contracting officer shall—

(1) Safeguard proposals against disclosure to unauthorized persons;

(2) Accept and handle data marked in accordance with 15.609 as provided in that section; and

(3) Remove any reference to price or cost.

(d) The contracting officer shall establish a time period for evaluating technical proposals. The period may vary with the complexity and number of proposals involved. However, the evaluation should be completed quickly.

(e)(1) Evaluations shall be based on the criteria in the request for proposals but not consideration of responsibility as defined in 9.1, Proposals, shall be categorized as—

(i) Acceptable;

(ii) Reasonably susceptible of being made acceptable; or

(iii) Unacceptable.

(2) 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.

(f)(1) The contracting officer may proceed directly with step two if there are sufficient 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 Government’s interest. If this is not the case, the contracting officer shall request bidders whose proposals may be made acceptable to submit additional clarifying or supplementing information. The contracting office shall identify the nature of the deficiencies in the proposal or the nature of the additional information required. The contracting officer may also arrange discussions for this purpose. No proposal shall be discussed with any offeror other than the submitter.

(2) In initiating requests for additional information, the contracting officer shall fix an appropriate time for bidders to conclude discussions, if any, submit all additional information, and incorporate such additional information as part of their proposals submitted. Such time may be extended in the discretion of the contracting officer. 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.

(g) When 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 that a revision of the proposal will not be considered. Upon written request, the contracting officer shall debrief unsuccessful offerors (see 15.505 and 15.506).

(h) Late technical proposals are governed by 15.208(b), (c), and (f).

(i) 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. Each offeror shall be notified in writing. When step one results in no acceptable technical proposal or only one acceptable technical proposal, the acquisition may be continued by negotiation.

### 14.503-2 Step two.

(a) Sealed bidding procedures shall be followed except that invitations for bids shall—

(1) Be issued only to those offerors submitting acceptable technical proposals in step one;

(2) Include the provision prescribed in 14.201-6(t);

(3) Prominently state that the bidder shall comply with the specifications and the bidder’s technical proposal; and

(4) Not be synopsized through the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE) as an acquisition opportunity nor publicly posted (see 5.101(a)).

(b) The names of firms that submitted acceptable proposals in step one will be listed through the GPE for the benefit of prospective subcontractors (see 5.207).

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