1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated December 15, 2021Defense Primer: Lowest Price Technically Acceptable ContractsBackground When procuring goods or services, the Department of Defense (DOD) generally seeks to obtain the best value for the government by encouraging full and open competition, as
2、required by the 1984 Competition in Contracting Act (P.L. 98-369, also known as CICA). Full and open competition occurs when all eligible prospective contractors are permitted to submit bids or proposals in response to a proposed contract action. Getting the Best Value for DOD CICA generally mandate
3、s that, whenever practical, DOD must obtain full and open competition through the use of competitive contracting procedures. Part 15.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) establishes two primary types of competitive source selection procedures intended to obtain the best overall value for
4、DOD: (1) the tradeoff process and (2) the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) process. The tradeoff process is generally used when cost is only one factor to be considered in awarding a contract. For example, DOD may award contracts based on non-cost factors such as quality and performance; a