Handbook No. 7460.8 REV 2

            APPENDIX 8. SAMPLE PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION COMMITTEES
            (FOR AMOUNTS ABOVE THE FEDERAL SMALL PURCHASE THRESHOLD)

INTRODUCTION

This document establishes the procedures for the evaluation review process and shall apply to the 
evaluation of all competitive proposals. The evaluation process must be impartial, consistent and 
fair.

Establishment of an Evaluation Panel

A.  A committee will be appointed by the Contracting Officer to evaluate technical proposals in 
    accordance with a written evaluation plan. The Contracting Officer may serve as a panel 
    member.

B.  A minimum of three persons (or a larger group having an odd number of designated voting 
    members) must be selected. 

C.  A designated chairperson shall be responsible for the deliberations of the committee and 
    other duties as outlined below. The Contracting Officer may serve as Chairperson. 

D.  Panel members who have a conflict of interest or relationship, financial or otherwise, or that 
    may be construed as a conflict of interest, must disclose the existence of the conflict and, if 
    necessary, excuse themselves from the panel.

Establishment of a Written Plan

Prior to the issuance of the RFP, a written plan for evaluating technical and cost proposals should 
be established. However, where practical, the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP can serve as 
the written plan for the evaluation.

The evaluation criteria as set forth in the RFP shall be the basis for all evaluations. Factors not 
specified in the RFP shall not be considered.

Conduct of Evaluation

Prior to a formal meeting to discuss the proposals and evaluations, the Contracting Officer shall 
provide each evaluator with a copy of each qualified proposal, a rating sheet and a nondisclosure 
certificate, which must be executed by the panel member and returned to the Chairperson. The 
rating sheet will list each evaluation criterion and the weights assigned to it, as reflected in the 
RFP. The rating sheets should require the evaluator to assign both an adjectival rating for each 
evaluation criterion and a narrative justification to support the ratings given.

The evaluation committee will then meet to discuss the proposals. Initially the proposals should 
be compared on an individual basis, separately, against the requirements stated in the RFP, not 
analyzed in comparison with each other. During the evaluation, the committee members should 
only evaluate the content of the proposals; personal knowledge that is not based on the 
proposer's written submission, except for relevant past performance information, should not be 
part of the initial technical evaluation.
         
            
            
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                                                 Handbook No. 7460.8 REV 2
                                                 
The evaluation committee members will perform the following functions: 1) review all of the 
proposals using as the standard the evaluation criteria as set forth in the RFP; 2) meet to discuss 
the evaluations, the ratings of each evaluator and the reasons for such ratings; and 3) complete 
the ratings sheet including both an adjectival and narrative justifications for each proposal 
submitted.

The chairperson is responsible for collecting the individual rating sheets from each committee 
member, preparing a summary rating sheet which reflects an overall adjectival rating for each 
rating criterion, and preparing a formal written report to the Contracting Officer regarding the 
evaluation committee meeting and discussions (such as the minutes from the evaluation 
committee meeting). This written report shall rank the proposers and shall describe how the 
scores were determined. The chairperson shall then forward the individual rating sheets, the 
summary rating sheet and the written narrative report to the Contracting Officer.

Negotiations

If necessary, negotiations will be conducted with all proposers in the competitive range. The 
extent of involvement of committee members in these negotiations will be determined by the 
Contracting Officer. These negotiations will be conducted in accordance with applicable agency 
policies/procedures.

Disclosure of Information

The evaluators shall not disclose any information included in any of the proposals (such as the 
names and number of proposers or rating scores) to anyone during the solicitation and evaluation 
period. Proposers submit proposals in confidence and expect their proposals and proprietary 
information contained therein to be protected from disclosure to other proposers or individuals. 
At the appropriate time, the Contracting Officer and/or his designee shall discuss information 
regarding the solicitation and award.
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 


            
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