I.  Ties to Synopsis Exceptions for Open-Market Purchases

Comment: Respondents stated that, for open-market purchases, the requirement to post the brand-name justification is tied to solicitations synopsized through GPE and, therefore, any solicitation not synopsized through GPE by virtue of the exceptions to the notice requirements at 5.202 technically will not need to be published.

Response: The respondents' analysis correctly reflects that, if a solicitation is not synopsized through the GPE based on one of the exceptions at FAR 5.202, the associated brand-name justification or documentation is not required to be published through the GPE.