Construction Law

Why You Should Take Advantage of Agency Debriefings

Our Sarasota construction attorneys know that agency debriefings are valuable tools for contractors. A bid protest debriefing affords bid offerors the opportunity to learn more about an award and to use the data they collect during the briefing to prepare for future bids. Offerors can also use a briefing to determine if they have grounds for a bid protest.

FAR Subpart 15.5

Debriefings are discussed at length in Fair Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 15.5. Under the regulation, successful offerors and awardees can request a debriefing. Debriefings may be done orally or in writing. Debriefings are highly recommended because offerors can learn more about the agency’s evaluation process. Offerors can walk away understanding with a clearer understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

Debriefing Submission Time Frames

Both pre-award and post-award debriefing requests are to be submitted within three days of a notification of exclusion or notification of a contract award. The request must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer in a timely manner or else offerors risk forfeiting a debriefing.

The Advantages of a Debriefing

The following is just a brief idea of the kind of information offerors will obtain during a briefing. Remember, a debriefing will put you in a better position to determine if you want to file a bid protest.

In a pre-award debriefing, offerors can learn about the agency’s evaluation of their proposal and why the they were eliminated from the competition. The offeror can also inquire about the agency’s selection and elimination process and whether the agency followed applicable regulations.

During a post-award debriefing, offerors can learn about deficiencies in their proposal, the ranking of all offerors, and why the award was awarded to another offeror. Additionally, offerors learn about the technical ratings of all offerors and if regulations were followed.

What Happens After the Debriefing?

With the information you’ve received, you should meet with your proposal team. If you have additional questions or need clarification, you can send them for follow-up. Finally, contact a local Sarasota construction attorney if you would like to move forward with protesting the bid.

To request a consultation with an experienced Sarasota construction lawyer, please call us today at 813.579.3278 or submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.