Don,
In reference to your post (#46) above. As a newbie I never read the "must be rated neutral" part of FAR 15.608. I thought the "neutral rating" resulted from 15.305(2)(iv).
"In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance....the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance."
To me neutral is the rating that is neither favorable nor unfavorable.