Award Term Contracting

The contract sets objective performance standards that the contractor is measured against periodically. As long as the contractor meets or exceeds the standards, the contractor earns an additional option period. This model allows agencies to develop long-term relationships with top-performing contractors.

Best Value

In a Best Value Source Selection, evaluation factors shall be weighted to indicate which are most important in making a best value trade-off decision. Cost, Technical, and Past Performance and other factors should be identified in their relative order of importance. All non-cost factors should be identified as significantly more important than, approximately equal to, or significantly less important than cost.

Bid Event

An event within SeaPort that requires interaction between the offeror and the SeaPort system to deliver the offeror's reponse to a Government request for proposal.

Contracting Officer

A specifically warranted individual authorized by the Head of the Contracting Agency to bind the Government. Only duly appointed contracting officers--acting within the bounds of their appointment--may bind the Government.

Fly-Off

A "fly before buy' scenario where offerors demonstrate their products/services as an evaluation factor in a Government award decision

Logical Follow-On

An exception to competition rules permitting streamlined non-disruptive continuation of performance of a service that is recognized by a rational person as only being capable of being performed by the incumbent contractor. This is only a valid exception to the Fair Opportunity to compete if all offerors were given an opportunity to compete for the original task order.

Lowest Cost, Technical Acceptable

If cost is significantly more important than all non-cost factors combined, users should consider indicating that selection will be based upon the lowest price, technically acceptable offer. Using this rationale, all non-cost factors essentially relate to a pass/fail evaluation to determine what contractors are capable of meeting the Government's minimum requirements and all proposals that are technically acceptable pass. The lowest priced offer is then selected for award.

Multiple Award Contract.

An indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to multiple firms from a single solicitation. (FAR 16.504)

Ombudsman

A designee of the Contracts Executive that ensures fairness
in the award of Task Orders.

Oral Proposal

A methodology to streamline process time in awarding Task Orders that gives offerors an opportunity to orally present their qualifications and/or approach to perform a particular task order.

Program Manager

The individual responsible for overall management of an acquisition program.

Request for Proposal

A solicitation document from the Government to potential offerors requesting a proposal to provide required goods and services to the Government.

Reverse Auction

An event with specified time parameters where qualified offerors submit lower and lower pricing--and/or and better better service--to the Government to permit an award decision by the Government.

Task Order

An individual delivery order against a Multiple Award Contract that establishes nature of services desired and required period of performance.