1.3  Past Performance versus Responsibility Determination.  

It is important to distinguish comparative past performance evaluations used in the source selection (tradeoff) process from responsibility determinations. Responsibility is a broad concept that addresses whether an offeror has the capability to perform a particular contract based upon an analysis of many areas including financial resources, operational controls, technical skills, quality assurance, and past performance.  Pre-award surveys and pass/fail evaluations provide a "yes/no," "pass/fail," or "go/no-go" answer to the question; can the offeror do the work?  The answer to this question helps the CO determine whether the offeror is responsible.

Unlike a responsibility determination, a comparative past performance evaluation conducted during the source selection process is a very specific endeavor that seeks to identify the degree of performance risk associated with each competing offeror.  The question asked in this process is will the offeror do the work successfully.  The evaluation describes the degree of confidence the Government has in the offeror's likelihood of success.  If properly conducted, the comparative past performance evaluation and the responsibility determination complement each other and provide a more complete picture of an offeror than either one could by itself.