What is a key feature of FAR Part 15 regarding accepted offers?

A key feature of FAR Part 15 is that it allows for negotiation with offerors in the competitive range. This part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) governs the acquisition of goods and services through negotiated procedures. Once an agency has received offers, it evaluates them to determine which are in the competitive range, meaning they are capable of being selected based on the evaluation criteria established in the solicitation.

By permitting negotiations, FAR Part 15 facilitates discussions with these offerors to enhance their proposals, clarify any uncertainties, or allow for adjustments in pricing and technical proposals before final selection. This process helps ensure that the government can obtain the best value possible by fostering communication and bidding flexibility with the entities that are likely to fulfill the contract requirements effectively.

The other aspects, such as limiting discussions after bid submission or providing automatic awards based solely on price, do not align with the negotiation focus of FAR Part 15, which emphasizes the importance of dialogue and refinement of proposals to achieve optimal outcomes in contract awards. Moreover, encouraging sole-source contracting is not a feature of FAR Part 15 but rather pertains to different contracting processes that only apply under specific conditions.