Can a solicitation have both LPTA and Trade-Off?

[joel hoffman]

28 minutes ago, Vern Edwards said:

@govt2310If you want to make two (or more) awards from one solicitation, one award for one "market segment" and one for another "market segment," and want to use different approaches for selecting the contractor(s) for each segment, begin by establishing one contract line item for the first market segment and one for the second. Then, in Section M of the RFP (supposing that you are using the Uniform Contract Format), describe the evaluation approach (tradeoff or LPTA) and factors for the first CLIN and do the same for the second CLIN. Essentially, you conduct two source selections under a single solicitation.

It is clearly permissible. It is easy. And I just told you how to do it. ji20874 told you how to explain it in the solicitation.

You joined Wifcon in 2009. You are not a newbie.

And you can state that you can make an award to a pool member for one or a combination of more than one or for all the CLINs.

[formerfed]

16 hours ago, govt2310 said:

Yes, that is my question: could you use, say LPTA, to select the winners for one market segment, but use, say Trade-Off, to select the winners for the other market segments?  ji20874 thinks there is no problem.  Note, in that Air Force RFP, they did not use two different methods to select the winners.  But I'm wondering, could you do that?  And if you can, does anybody have an example solicitation of where this was done? 

I’ve seen this done a couple times for software development.  It’s not what I would say is a good approach but it’s been done.  The solicitation has CLINS for preparation of a product vision, product backlog, program management support, and similar artifacts.  They are awarded using a trade off process under a labor-hour pricing arrangement.  Other CLINS are for multiple award sprints on a fixed price basis.  The solicitation contains minimum requirements for sprint experience, qualifications, certifications, and training. Then those awards are done on a LPTA basis.  Sprint post-award work assignments are based on a combination of prior sprint performance and price - those contractors producing the more favorable sprint output results are rewarded with increased business.

[govt2310]

On 3/12/2022 at 7:26 AM, ji20874 said:

gov2310,

I'm unable to discern what you are really asking.  Below are two answers that I offer to you...

1.  [If your cited example uses two techniques]  Didn't you post an example above on Wednesday at 05:29 PM?  Apparently, it can be done, and apparently it has been done in the example you shared.  What really is your question?

2.  [If your cited example does not use two techniques]  Could the example you posted on Wednesday at 5:29 PM have used two techniques?  Sure -- why not?  What really is your question?

If you are looking for sample text, here is something I made on-the-spot...

"The government intends to award multiple-award BOAs for work in four market segments:  Physicians, Dental, Ancillary, and Nursing.  The government will select awardees for the Physicians and Dental market segments using an LPTA approach as described in subsection A below, and will select awardees for the Ancillary and Nursing market segments using a tradeoff approach as described in subsection B below."

The example RFP that I posted on Wednesday did not use two techniques.  It evaluated all of the market segments the same way.  My question is, could you make an RFP that does use two techniques?  Your on-the-spot language answers my question.  Thank you.

 

[govt2310]

On 3/12/2022 at 9:45 AM, Vern Edwards said:

@govt2310If you want to make two (or more) awards from one solicitation, one award for one "market segment" and one for another "market segment," and want to use different approaches for selecting the contractor(s) for each segment, begin by establishing one contract line item for the first market segment and one for the second. Then, in Section M of the RFP (supposing that you are using the Uniform Contract Format), describe the evaluation approach (tradeoff or LPTA) and factors for the first CLIN and do the same for the second CLIN. Essentially, you conduct two source selections under a single solicitation.

It is clearly permissible. It is easy. And I just told you how to do it. ji20874 told you how to explain it in the solicitation.

You joined Wifcon in 2009. You are not a newbie.

 

Thanks, Vern.  Ok, I see how to an RFP can be written to use two techniques.

[Juanito]

FAR 15.101: An agency can obtain best value in negotiated acquisitions by using any one "or a combination of source selection approaches."