As prescribed in 570.602, insert the following provision:
Instructions to Offerors-Acquisition of Leasehold Interests in Real Property (Mar 1998)
(a) Definitions. As used in this provision-
“Discussions” are negotiations that occur after establishment of the competitive range that may, at the Contracting Officer’s discretion, result in the offeror being allowed to revise its proposal.
“In writing” or “written” means any worded or numbered expression which can be read, reproduced, and later communicated, and includes electronically transmitted and stored information.
“Proposal modification” is a change made to a proposal before the solicitation’s closing date and time, or made in response to an amendment, or made to correct a mistake at any time before award.
“Proposal revision” is a change to a proposal made after the solicitation closing date, at the request of or as allowed by a Contracting Officer as the result of negotiations.
“Time,” if stated as a number of days, is calculated using calendar days, unless otherwise specified, and will include Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. However, if the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, then the period shall include the next working day.
(b) Amendments to solicitations. If this solicitation is amended, all terms and conditions that are not amended remain unchanged. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation by the date and time specified in the amendment(s).
(c) Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals.
(1) Unless other methods (e.g., electronic commerce or facsimile) are permitted in the solicitation, proposals and modifications to proposals shall be submitted in paper media in sealed envelopes or packages Offers must be:
(i) Submitted on the forms prescribed and furnished by the Government as a part of this solicitation or on copies of those forms, and
(ii) Signed. The person signing an offer must initial each erasure or change appearing on any offer form. If the offeror is a partnership, the names of the partners composing the firm must be included with the offer.
(2) Late proposals and revisions.
(i) The Government will not consider any proposal received at the office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers unless it is received before the Government makes award and it meets at least one of the following conditions:
(A) It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 5th calendar day before the date specified for receipt of offers (e.g., an offer submitted in response to a solicitation requiring receipt of offers by the 20th of the month must have been mailed by the 15th).
(B) It was sent by mail (or telegram or facsimile, if authorized) or hand-carried (including delivery by a commercial carrier) if it is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due primarily to Government mishandling after receipt at the Government installation.
(C) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5:00 p.m. at the place of mailing two working days prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals. The term “working days” excludes weekends and U.S. Federal holidays.
(D) It was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation and was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals.
(E) There is acceptable evidence to establish that it was received at the activity designated for receipt of offers and was under the Government’s control prior to the time set for receipt of offers, and the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late offer would not unduly delay the procurement.
(F) It is the only proposal received.
(ii) Any modification or revision of a proposal or response to request for information, including any final proposal revision, is subject to the same conditions as in paragraphs (c)(2)(i)(A) through (c)(2)(i)(E) of this provision.
(iii) The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late proposal or modification or revision sent either by registered or certified mail is the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service postmark both on the envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service. Both postmarks must show a legible date or the proposal, response to a request for information, or modification or revision shall be processed as if mailed late. “Postmark” means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable without further action as having been supplied and affixed by employees of the U.S. or Canadian Postal Service on the date of mailing. Therefore, offerors or respondents should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation bull’s eye postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
(iv) Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the proposal wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel.
(v) The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late offer, modification or revision, or withdrawal sent by Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the post office receiving clerk on the “Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to Addressee” label and the postmark on both the envelope or wrapper and on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. “Postmark” has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this provision, excluding postmarks of the Canadian Postal Service. Therefore, offerors or respondents should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation bull’s eye postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
(vi) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this provision, a late modification or revision of an otherwise successful proposal that makes its terms more favorable to the Government will be considered at any time it is received and may be accepted.
(vii) An offeror may withdraw its proposal by written notice or telegram (including mailgram) received at any time before award. If the solicitation authorizes facsimile proposals, an offeror may withdraw its proposal via facsimile received at any time before award, subject to the conditions specified in the provision entitled “Facsimile Proposals.” Proposals may be withdrawn in person by an offeror or an authorized representative, if the representative’s identity is made known and the representative signs a receipt for the proposal before award.
(viii) If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that proposals cannot be received at the office designated for receipt of proposals by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation or other notice of an extension of the closing date, the time specified for receipt of proposals will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume. If no time is specified in the solicitation, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m., local time, for the designated Government office.
(3) Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning this solicitation will be furnished promptly to all other prospective offerors, if that information is necessary in submitting offers or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to any other prospective offeror.
(4) Offerors may submit modifications to their proposals at any time before the solicitation closing date and time, and may submit modifications in response to an amendment, or to correct a mistake at any time before award.
(5) Offerors may submit revised proposals only if requested or allowed by the Contracting Officer.
(6) The Government will construe an offer to be in full and complete compliance with this solicitation unless the offer describes any deviation in the offer.
(7) Offerors may submit proposals that depart from stated requirements. Such a proposal shall clearly identify why the acceptance of the proposal would be advantageous to the Government. The proposal must clearly identify and explicitly define any deviations from the terms and conditions of the solicitation, as well as the comparative advantage to the Government. The Government reserves the right to amend the solicitation to allow all offerors an opportunity to submit revised proposals based on the revised requirements.
(d) Restriction on disclosure and use of data. An offeror that includes in its proposal data that it does not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes, must meet both of the following conditions:
(1) Mark the title page with the following legend:
This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed-in whole or in part-for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a lease is awarded to this offeror as a result of-or in connection with-the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit the Government’s right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets].
(2) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend:
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.
(e) Lease award.
(1) The Government intends to award a lease resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose proposal represents the best value after evaluation in accordance with the factors and subfactors in the solicitation.
(2) The Government may reject any or all proposals if such action is in the Government’s interest.
(3) The Government may waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received.
(4) The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a lease after conducting discussions with offerors whose proposals have been determined to be within the competitive range. If the Contracting Officer determines that the number of proposals that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the Contracting Officer may limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals. Therefore, the offeror’s initial proposal should contain the offeror’s best terms from a price and technical standpoint.
(5) Exchanges with offerors after receipt of a proposal do not constitute a rejection or counteroffer by the Government.
(6) The Government may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the prices proposed are materially unbalanced between line items or subline items. Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the price of one or more contract line items is significantly overstated or understated as indicated by the application of cost or price analysis techniques. A proposal may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk to the Government.
(7) The unconditional written acceptance of an offer establishes a valid contract.
(8) The Government may disclose the following information in postaward debriefings to other offerors:
(i) The overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating of the successful offeror;
(ii) The overall ranking of all offerors, when any ranking was developed by the agency during source selection; and
(iii) A summary of the rationale for award.
(End of provision)
Alternate I (Mar 1998). As prescribed in 570.602, substitute the following paragraph for paragraph (c)(2)(i) of the basic provision:
Alternate II (Mar 1998). As prescribed in 570.602, substitute the following paragraph for paragraph (e)(4) of the basic provision:
(4) The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a lease without discussions with offerors (except clarifications as described in FAR 15.306(a)). Therefore, the offeror’s initial proposal should contain the offeror’s best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Contracting Officer later determines them to be necessary. If the Contracting Officer determines that the number of proposals that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the Contracting Officer may limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals.
