Preaward Technical Assistance

This chapter relates to an important period in the contracting process: the processing of the requirement from the technical requiring office to the contracting office, that is, the technical to contractual translation period. The COR's roles are that of primary technical point of contact, coordinator, and technical expert, and he or she provides information and advice to the CO as necessary. The COR's objective is to facilitate an effective and expeditious processing of the program office requirements through the contracting office actions to award.

The COR provides technical assistance during the three contracting phases:

Presolicitation. The initial development of the purchase request (PR) by the technical requiring office and the coordination of it with the contracting office. The COR's tasks include:

- The development of various requirement documents

- The coordination of documents requiring approval

- The provision of a suggested sources list

- The development of the technical evaluation plan

- The provision of financing and bond needs assessment.

Solicitation. The acceptance of the PR and all contractual actions up to the receipt of offers (bids or proposals), i.e., the development of the solicitation. The COR's tasks include:

- Assisting the CO in determining the method of procurement and selecting the contract type

- Providing preaward inquiry and other responses

- Participating in prebid and preproposal conferences.

Evaluation and source selection. The receipt, processing, and evaluation of offers and all other contractual actions required up to the award decision by the CO. The COR's tasks include:

- The technical evaluation of proposals

- Past performance survey technical assistance

- Technical responsibility determination

- Negotiation technical support

- Participation in debriefings and protests.

PRESQLICITATIQN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

What does the presolicitation phase of the contracting process involve?

During the presolicitation phase of the contracting process, the technical requiring office develops the purchase request (PR) as a part of the work package that will be forwarded to the contracting office. Chapter 3 provides a discussion of the PR and a listing of information that should be included in the PR, such as determinations, descriptions, justifications, and other documents that may be required to complete the particular acquisition (see Question 65). The contracting office will process the PR, as well as other documents included in the work package, and after all necessary documentation has been satisfactorily provided, accept the work package. Acceptance of the work package ends the presolicitation phase.

What tasks will the COR need to perform in providing technical assistance during the presolicitation phase?

The COR:

1. Develops determinations,^[1] descriptions, justifications, and other documents as applicable to the requirement

2. Develops and coordinates funding documents and other documents that require approval

3. Provides a suggested sources list

4. Provides the technical evaluation plan

5. Assists the CO with financing and bond needs assessment.

• [1] In Chapter 3 and later in this chapter, various types of determinations are discussed. For example, there are determinations associated with commercial items (commerciality determination), government property (whether to furnish it and what type to furnish), and the types of services to be acquired (advisory and assistance, personal versus nonpersonal).