Proposal Evaluations for Task/Delivery Orders Part I: Planning & Preparation

1. TRICARE Management Activity HEALTH AFFAIRS Proposal Evaluations for Task/Delivery OrdersPart I: Planning & Preparation

2. Overall Seminar Agenda Ethics as Applied to Source Selection Planning and Preparation Conducting and Documenting the Evaluation

3. Agenda • Introduction • Type of Evaluation Processes • Key Elements of an Evaluation • Phases of an Evaluation • Phase One: Planning the Evaluation • Phase Two: Forming Evaluation Team • References

4. Introduction • Proposal Evaluation: an assessment of the proposal and the offeror’s ability to perform the prospective contract successfully • A Fair Opportunity evaluation and selection process is characterized by the following: • a single-round evaluation • no negotiations with the offerors • no formal debriefing of offerors is required • This presentation applies to Fair Opportunity evaluations and selections under all TMA non-purchased care contracts (FAR16.505) and will place anemphasis and focus on the Tradeoff Process.

5. Types of Evaluation Processes All source selections should ensure that the Government selects the offeror proposing the best value to the Government. Best Value can be determined by using one of two distinct processes: 1. Tradeoff 2. Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

6. Tradeoff Process Tradeoff – It is often in the best interest of the Government to consider award to other than lowest priced offeror or other than the highest technically rated Offeror. • After evaluating and considering the trade-offs between both non cost/price and cost/price factors, the Government will award the offeror with the best valued proposal offer. • This process should be used for more complex requirements when performance risks should be considered.

7. Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable Process Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA) – the award will be made to the offeror whose price is the lowest among all proposals that were deemed to be technically acceptable • Appropriate where requirement is not complex and the technical and performance risks are minimal • Not to be used for cost type contracts • Solicitation must state evaluation factors/significant subfactors that establish the requirements of acceptability and that award will be made to the lowest evaluated proposal price that meets or exceeds the acceptable standards for non-cost factors. (FAR 15.101-2(b)(1)) • No trade-offs between cost/price and non-cost/price factors

8. Key Elements of an Evaluation Whether using a Tradeoff or Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable method, a successful proposal evaluation depends on appropriate, well-defined evaluation criteria. • When choosing and developing your evaluation factors and/or subfactors, ensure they are: • based on user requirements, acquisition objectives, perceived risks and thorough market research. • definable and measurable in readily understood quantitative and/or qualitative terms. • representative of the key areas of importance and emphasis to be considered in the source selection decision. • limited to the essential elements that will enable you to distinguish among the proposals; keep number of factors and subfactors to an absolute minimum!

9. Phases of an Evaluation An Evaluation typically consists of three phases: 1. Planning 2. Forming Evaluation Team 3. Conducting the Evaluation In this presentation, we will discuss Phases 1 and 2. Process may be condensed for very simple evaluations

10. Phase One – Planning Step 1 – Complete the Evaluation Criteria for Award • An integral part of the acquisition package that must always accompany each Task Order Proposal Request (TOPR). • Tailor and expand Evaluation Criteria of the Task Order Template(T/AARMS, T/EAMS, D/SIDDOMS 3 or GSA) to be specific to your requirement. • Evaluation Criteria used MUST be defined in the TOPR • These task order templates are available at: http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/ams_acqguides.aspx • Regularly reference templates online as changes are routinely made to various sections

11. Phase One – Planning(continued) Step 2 – Submit Evaluation Criteria to Acquisition Manager • The acquisition package should be submitted to your AM&S COD-FC - Contract Specialist (KS) and should include the TOPR, Performance Work Statement (PWS), and other relevant documentation Whenever the Requiring Activity plans to use Contractors in any capacity during the evaluation phase, the TOPR (Section 9b) must identify the specific company name and role that the Contractor will perform. Failure to include this information in the TOPR will preclude the Contractor from any exposure to the proposal or evaluation deliberations.

12. Phase Two – Forming the Evaluation Team(s) Step 1 – Determine Team Approach • Single Panel: one team handles both non-cost/price and cost/price evaluations • The panel will not be given access to cost/price information until all evaluators have completed and documented the non-cost/price evaluation. • Two Panels: one team for non-cost/price evaluations and another separate team for cost/price evaluations • The non-cost/price panel will not have access to cost/price data throughout the evaluation. • Both evaluations may be conducted concurrently of each other

13. Phase Two – Forming the Evaluation Team(s) (continued) Step 2 – Identify Panel Members • The responsible AM&S COD-FC KS/Contract Manager (CM) sends the Evaluation Panel Nomination Request to the Requiring Activity evaluation POC. • The Requiring Activity evaluation POC completes the form and returns to the AM&S COD-FC KS/CM along with signed Confidentiality Statements. Evaluation Panel Nomination Request http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/Eval_Panel_Nomination_Request.doc

14. Phase Two – Forming the Evaluation Team(s) (continued) Confidentiality Agreements Government Participation Confidentiality Agreement All Government members of the evaluation panel must sign and submit a Confidentiality Agreement for Government Employees. (http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/ConfidentialityAgreementFedEmployee.doc) Contractor Agreement for Contractors Contractors are NOT authorized to be voting members of the evaluation panel. However, Contractors may be used to support the panel, so long as the supporting contractor’s name was disclosed in the TOPR and the Contractor submits a signed Confidentiality Agreement for Contractors. (http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/ConfidentialityAgreementNon-FedEmployee.doc) Use of Contractor support to an evaluation panel must comply with the TMA Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) policy found in Section 2.4 of the TMA Non-Purchased Care Desk Top Reference. (http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/DeskTopReference.htm)

15. Phase Two – Forming the Evaluation Team(s) (continued) Step 3 – Received Evaluation Transmittal Forms • Requiring Activity nominates the members of the evaluation panel(s) which usually consists of the Task Manager (TM) and at least two other independent evaluators. • Once the names of the nominated panel members and all signed Confidentiality Agreements are received, AM&S COD-FC KS/CMcompletes an Evaluation Transmittal Form for the evaluation. • This transmittal form is then sent to the requiring activity evaluation POC via e-mail. Receipt of the Evaluation Transmittal Form is your trigger to begin the Evaluation

16. Phase Two – Forming the Evaluation Team(s) (continued) Step 4 – Convene the Evaluation Panel(s) • The evaluation panel(s) will perform a review of the proposals. • Each evaluator must evaluate all proposals and comply with the directions provided in this guide and the FAR. • The team(s) must be given the time and ability to focus on the evaluations.

17. Phase Three – Conduction the Evaluation To be discussed in Next Session…

18. References • Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria of the Task Order Template (T/AARMS, T/EAMS, D/SIDDOMS 3 or GSA) http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/Eval_Panel_Nomination_Request.doc/Acquisition_Tools_Guides.cfm • Confidentiality Agreement for Government Employees http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/Eval_Panel_Nomination_Request.doc/ConfidentialityAgreementFedEmployee.doc • Confidentiality Agreement for Contractors http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/downloads/Eval_Panel_Nomination_Request.doc/ConfidentialityAgreementNon-FedEmployee.doc • TMA Non-Purchased Care Desk Top Reference http://tricare.mil/tma/ams/ams_desktop.aspx

19. Questions Questions??