Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 665-2-4-.02 - Methods of Sources Selection
Competitive source selection may be conducted in accordance with the following best value methods.
(a) The following steps may be employed in
the application of the best value procurement methodology:
1. Appropriate best value bidding method is
determined by purchasing authority.
2. Solicitation document is developed and
advertised in accordance with other rules of this Chapter.
3. Scheduled conferences or site visits are
held in accordance with solicitation requirements.
4. Offers are received and a public bid
opening is conducted. For solicitations that allow for negotiation after
receipt of offers, only the names of responding bidders are revealed. Price
information shall be made public after evaluation and award.
5. An evaluation committee evaluates offers
in accordance with the stated evaluation factors. For solicitations that
include a best value ranking process, scoring and ranking may be determined by
using any consistent rating methodology, including adjectival, numerical, or
ordinal rankings. The results of the evaluation committee shall be documented
in the contract file. Evaluation factors may include but are not limited to
quality factors; delivery and implementation schedule; maximum facilitation of
data exchange and systems integration; warranties, guarantees, and return
policies; vendor financial stability; consistency of the proposed solution with
the state's strategic program direction; effectiveness of business solution and
approach; industry and program experience; prior record of vendor performance;
vendor expertise with similar projects; proven development methodologies and
tools; and innovative use of technologies.
6. Clarifications, communications to
establish a competitive range, or negotiations may be conducted with offerors
after receipt of offers in accordance with instructions and procedures set
forth in the solicitation document and as appropriate to the method of source
selection chosen. In those cases where negotiation is permitted by procedures
set forth in the solicitation document, offerors may be allowed to submit best
and final offers subsequent to negotiated changes in the initial offer or
previous offer.
7. The evaluation
committee shall determine a final ranking of all offers under consideration
using only the criteria set forth in the solicitation document. All offerors
shall be ranked from most advantageous to least advantageous to the
state.
8. Award must be made to the
responsive and responsible offeror whose offer is determined in writing to be
the most advantageous to the state, using all evaluation factors set forth in
the solicitation. If the lowest price technically acceptable method is used,
award must be made to the responding and responsible offeror with the lowest
price.
9. The following types of
solicitation may be used:
(i) One-step
Invitation for Bids (IFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP) Technical and price
response is submitted at the same time.
(I)
If the lowest priced technically acceptable method of source selection is used,
only clarifications are allowed.
(II) If the trade off or ranking method of
source selection is used, communications to establish competitive ranges or
negotiations may be used. Final price adjustments or best and final offers may
be allowed.
(ii) Two
step IFB or RFP Technical responses (step one) and price responses (step two)
to solicitation are submitted separately.
(I)
If the lowest priced technically acceptable method is used, technical responses
(step one) are evaluated for acceptability only. Only clarifications with
offerors are allowed. Price offers are opened (step two) for only those
offerors who submitted technically acceptable responses. Selection is made by
low price analysis.
(II) If the
trade off or ranking method of source selections is used, technical responses
(step one) are submitted, after which clarifications, communications to
establish a competitive range, and negotiations with offerors may be allowed as
specified in the solicitation document. Price responses (step two) are
requested only from offerors placed in the competitive range after the
technical evaluation and discussion phase has concluded. Subsequent
negotiations may be conducted with offerors after receipt of price responses.
Final price adjustments or best and final offers may be allowed.
(b) A trade
off method of source selection may be utilized when the best value is expected
to result from selection of other than the lowest priced offer or other than
the highest technically qualified offer. For a solicitation using a trade off
source selection method, the following shall apply:
1. Evaluation factors that will affect the
contract award decision and their relative importance shall be generally stated
in the solicitation.
2. Price must
be considered as an evaluation factor in the selection process. The
solicitation shall state the importance or numerical weight of all evaluation
factors including price.
3. Offers
are ranked using the evaluation factors and their relative importance or
weight. The relative overall ranking of any offer may be adjusted up or down
when considered with, or traded-off against, other non-price factors. For
example, an offer with the lowest price when compared to other offers would
normally receive the best ranking in the price evaluation category. However, if
other non-price evaluation factors received low rankings, the overall ranking
of the offer would be reduced.
4.
Clarifications are permitted. If specified in the solicitation, communications
and negotiations may be permitted after receipt of offer.
(c) The lowest price technically acceptable
source selection method may be used when best value is expected to result from
selection of the technically acceptable offer with the lowest evaluated price.
When using the lowest price technically acceptable method, the following shall
apply:
1. The evaluation factors that
establish the requirements of acceptability shall be set forth in the
solicitation. Solicitations shall specify that award will be made on the basis
of the lowest evaluated price of those proposals that meet or exceed the
acceptability requirements for non-price factors.
2. Trade offs between price and non-price
factors are not permitted.
3.
Proposals are evaluated for acceptability but are not ranked using the
non-price factors.
4.
Clarifications are permitted. If specified in the solicitation, communications
and negotiations may be permitted after receipt of offer.
(d) Any source selection process may
incorporate the pre-qualification of contractors (Request for Qualified
Contractors or RFQC) prior to the issuance of a RFQ or RFP when deemed
advantageous by the CIO. If the source selection process anticipates
negotiations then all confidentiality provisions of this Chapter shall be in
full force and effect from the issuance of the RFQC to the award of the
contract.
(e) GTA may employ the
use of on-line reverse auctions to arrive at the lowest price. This
solicitation method will satisfy any requirement necessitating a competitive
sealed bidding. The names of the bidders may be held in confidence until the
award of the contract.
(f) Other
competitive best value source selection methodologies may be used if they are
determined to be advantageous to the state and are approved for use by the CIO
or his designee.
Notes
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