23.3 Conducting two-step competitive sealed bids
23.3.2 Step two: pricing offers
Prepare the pricing IFB: Prepare an IFB requesting price proposals which includes the following content, along with the procuring agency’s custom content. This is intended as a partial content guide, as each agency has its own IFB template with appropriate sections to present such content. When requesting pricing proposals, competitive sealed bidding procedures shall be followed except that invitations for price bids shall be issued only to those offerors submitting acceptable technical proposals in step one.
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Recommended IFB section |
Content description |
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Cover page |
Include a reference to the request for technical proposal title and number and set a specific date and time for receipt of sealed pricing bids. |
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Proposal instructions |
Provide the location for receipt and date, or date and hour, by which the bids must be received. |
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If the agency intends to award to other than the lowest priced bidder, the set-aside provision must be included in the IFB. |
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Prominently state that the bidder’s price proposal shall comply with the specifications and the bidder’s technical proposal. |
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For “combined” two-step competitive IFBs, the instructions must specify that the responses must be submitted in two separate sealed envelopes—one marked “Technical Proposal” and the other “Bid Price”— and bidders must identify both envelopes with the bidder’s name, company name and address, and bid reference number. |
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Proposal requirements |
Include a pricing schedule based on the specifications in the bidder’s technical proposal. |
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Include a reference to the required and non-negotiable general, special and IT/VITA-specific terms and conditions that were included in the technical proposal solicitation. |
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Include a statement that the award document shall incorporate by reference the terms and conditions of the solicitation, the bidder’s technical proposal, and the bid price. |
Receipt and opening of pricing proposals: After the pricing proposals are received a public opening is held via eVA.
- Uncombined Two Step Competitive Sealed Bids: Bids are tabulated, and the contract is awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. However, if the provision for award to other than the lowest priced bidder was made in the solicitation, the award may be made to a reasonably priced DSBSD-certified small business including small businesses owned by women, minorities and service-disabled veterans or a micro business bidder that is other than the lowest priced bidder.
- Combined Two-Step Competitive Sealed Bids: After the technical proposals are opened and evaluated, the price envelopes for those technical proposals selected as acceptable are opened. The envelopes containing the price bids for those proposals determined to be not acceptable will be returned to the bidders unopened. The award is made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. However, if the solicitation included a provision for award to other than the lowest priced bidder, the award may be made to a reasonably priced DSBSD-certified small business including small businesses owned by women, minorities and service-disabled veterans or a micro business bidder that is other than the lowest priced bidder.
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