D. Remove "competitive range" limitation

Comment: A respondent proposed deleting the phrase "with offerors in the competitive range" at the end of the sentence "(F)or source selections when the procurement is $100 million or more, contracting officers should conduct discussions with offerors in the competitive range." The respondent noted that FAR 15.306(c)(1) and (d), read together, require the conduct of discussions with all offerors in the competitive range in every case.

Response: DoD agrees with respondent that the FAR already mandates discussions with all offerors whose proposals have been selected for the competitive range. The intent of this rule is to expand the situations in which discussions are held beyond those situations where they may be already mandated. The language in the proposed rule at DFARS 215.203-71 is relocated to 215.306(c)(1) in the final rule and revised to state "For source selections, when the procurement is $100 million or more, contracting officers should conduct discussions. Follow the procedures at FAR 15.306(c) and (d)."