Overview
This section establishes that acquisitions involving the exclusion of specific sources must still adhere to the standard competitive procedures defined in FAR 6.102.
Key Rules
- Mandatory Competition: Acquisitions conducted under FAR Subpart 6.2 are not exempt from competition requirements.
- Cross-Reference to 6.102: Agencies must use the specific competitive procedures prescribed in FAR 6.102, such as sealed bids, competitive proposals, or combination methods.
- Procedural Consistency: Even when the pool of potential offerors is restricted (e.g., set-asides), the process of soliciting and evaluating those offers must remain competitive.
Practical Implications
- Contracting Officers cannot use the exclusion of certain sources as a justification for a non-competitive or sole-source award; they must ensure robust competition among the remaining eligible sources.
- This policy ensures that programs like small business set-asides or the maintenance of the industrial base still benefit from the market pricing and technical innovation driven by competitive bidding.