5.6  Source Selection Activities of the PCAG in Award Without Discussions or Award With Discussions.

a.  Award Without Discussions.

After the offerors have responded to clarification ENs if awarding without discussions, the PCAG must conduct follow-up interviews with customers on the offeror's responses to ENs.  After receipt of this additional data, the PCAG will reassess the evidence that leads to confidence or plants doubt (positive and negative aspects) to evaluate whether there is any change to the evaluation based on the additional data.

From the point in time that all data and information are received until the final SSA decision briefing, the PCAG must remain aware of current events on other programs/contracts that could impact the contractor's present performance and affect the instant source selection.

b.  Award With Discussions.

The PCAG will participate in discussions when the SSA determines to conduct discussions with the offerors in the competitive range.  Face-to-face discussions with offerors are highly successful in providing an understanding of the open issues, the source selection evaluation, and the decision process.  During the face-to-face meetings, the source selection team provides ENs, after SSA approval, to the offeror and answers questions on the ENs before issuance of the ENs.  The CO will issue the approved ENs with response suspense date(s).

The PCAG must review the EN responses and conduct follow-up interviews with customer POCs to validate the information.  After receipt of this additional data, the PCAG will need to reassess the evidence that leads to confidence or plants doubt (positive and negative aspects) to evaluate whether there would be any change based on the additional data. Keep in mind exchanges regarding adverse past performance after the establishment of the competitive range are considered to be discussions.

From the point in time that all data and information are received until the final SSA decision briefing, the PCAG must remain aware of current events on other programs/contracts that could impact the contractor's present performance and affect the instant source selection.