Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (1 of 3) THIS IS A GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY – SEE NOAA APG CHAPTERS for specific guidance and references to applicable statute, regulation, DOC policy, and NOAA policy. Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (1 of 3) Select Source Selection Process and Technique per FAR 15.1 Prepare Solicitation and Source Selection Plan IAW FAR 15 and all other applicable Parts of FAR, CAR, CAM, and the NOAA AGO Handbook for required reviews and issuance Acquisition is above the SAT, determination has been made that Sealed Bidding is not appropriate (See FAR 6.401) and the Test Program at FAR 13.5 is not applicable Review Market Research No No Will the agency hold exchanges with industry prior to solicitation release? Will the Advisory multi-step process at FAR 15.202 be used? Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Yes Yes Follow procedures at FAR 15.201 If not using the combined synopsis solicitation at FAR 12.603, synopsis required by FAR 5.2 may be developed, reviewed, approved and issued prior to final solicitation approval Return from multi-step process page Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Go to Multi-step process page CS/CO Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Obtain required solicitation reviews and approvals in accordance with agency procedure: NOAA AGO Handbook Will the RFP be cancelled prior to receipt of proposals No Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Issue the Request for proposals (RFP) IAW FAR 15.203 and FAR 15.205 When applicable, hold pre-proposal conference and/or site visits IAW FAR 15.201 and solicitation provisions When applicable, amend the RFP per FAR 15.206 Go to Map 3 of FAR 15 Yes Follow procedures at FAR 15.206e and/or FAR 14.209 Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer

Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (2 of 3) THIS IS A GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY – SEE NOAA APG CHAPTERS for specific guidance and references to applicable statute, regulation, DOC policy, and NOAA policy. Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (2 of 3) NOTE 1: The structure and composition of evaluation teams, including any tiered evaluation panel scheme, will depend on the nature of the acquisition, the applicability of formal source selection procedures, and direction from NOAA AGO and NOAA HQ NOTE 2: FAR 15.4 Contract Pricing – Any of the proposal analysis techniques or any combination of the proposal analysis techniques at FAR 15.404 may be used and may involve the use of field pricing or audit support. If field pricing assistance and/or audit assistance is/are required follow FAR 15.404-2 and AGO guidance at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/ad/policies.shtml From Map 1 FAR 15 Receive proposals in accordance with solicitation provisions and FAR 15.207 and FAR 15.208 Record Abstract of proposals in accordance with the NOAA AGO Handbook p.59 Perform CS/CO review of the proposals for compliances with solicitation provisions Evaluate initial proposals in accordance with evaluation criteria at RFP Section M and when applicable Source Selection Plan (See FAR 15.3, FAR 15.4, CAM 15.2 and NOAA AGO Handbook ) No Will the agency make award without discussions? Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Yes CS/CO/Evaluation Panels **SEE NOTE 1 and NOTE 2 Go to next page Document competitive range determination and pre-negotiation objectives per FAR 15.406 Obtain required reviews, approvals, and concurrences for competitive range and pre-negotiations objectives in accordance with the Source Selection Plan and agency procedure: NOAA AGO Handbook Hold Discussions with Offerors in the competitive range per FAR 15.306(d) and issue pre-award notification to unsuccessful Offerors per FAR 15.503(a)(1). Are “Communications with Offerors before establishment of the competitive range” necessary? No Hold Communications IAW FAR 15.306(b) Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Yes Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Handle any pre-award debriefing requests and debriefings per FAR 15.505 If Offeror originally in the competitive range is no longer considered most highly rated, eliminate prior to receipt of proposal revisions per FAR 15.306(c)(5) Receive final proposal revisions IAW FAR 15.307 Evaluate final proposal revision per RFP Section M, Source Selection Plan and applicable regulation and procedure Are additional discussions/negotiations necessary? Yes Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Go to Map 3 FAR 15 No

Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (3 of 3) THIS IS A GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY – SEE NOAA APG CHAPTERS for specific guidance and references to applicable statute, regulation, DOC policy, and NOAA policy. Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 (3 of 3) Yes Hold clarifications per FAR 15.306(a) From Map 2 FAR 15 Are Clarifications necessary? Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer No Document Pre-Post Negotiation IAW FAR 15.406. Document Source Selection Decision IAW FAR 15.308, the RFP Criteria, the Source Selection Plan and applicable agency procedure in CAM 15.2 and the NOAA AGO Handbook Obtain required award reviews and approvals in accordance with agency procedure: NOAA AGO Handbook Award to successful Offeror per FAR 15.504 and FAR 15.509 and create administrative record of award obligation in C* No Is the pre-award notification for small business programs required? Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Yes Issue pre-award notices IAW FAR 15.503(a)(2) 5 business days prior to award Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer FPDS Entry (obtain review and approval when required by local policy) Issue required post award notices per FAR 15.503(b) , FAR 5.3 and notify Congressional and Public Affairs in accordance with agency procedure at NOAA AGO Handbook Conduct Post-award Debriefing(s) per FAR 15.506 When applicable, handle post-award protest per FAR 15.507 and FAR Part 33.1 Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer No Handle mistake IAW FAR 15.508 Is there a mistake(s) in the contractor’s proposal disclosed post award? Map to APG Post Award Yes Contract Specialist/ Contracting Officer

Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 – Multi-Step Process THIS IS A GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY – SEE NOAA APG CHAPTERS for specific guidance and references to applicable statute, regulation, DOC policy, and NOAA policy. Contracting by Negotiation Process Map – Part 15 – Multi-Step Process FAR 15 Map 1 of 3 Prepare pre-solicitation notice with description of scope and purpose and evaluation criteria per FAR 15.202(a) Obtain required solicitation reviews and approvals in accordance with agency procedure: NOAA AGO Handbook Synopsize special pre-solicitation notice prepared per FAR 15.202(a) Receive Information from respondents (i.e. capability statements) per special pre-solicitation notice Evaluate information received in response to the special notice per FAR 15.202(a) and FAR 15.202(b) and stated criteria provided in the notice Obtain required reviews and approvals in accordance with agency procedure: NOAA AGO Handbook Advise respondents IAW FAR 15.202(b) Return to Part 15 Map 1 of 3