RFP Process Review of Request for Proposal

RFP Process Review of Request for Proposal

The objective of this study is to review a sample request for proposal for implementation assistance and training support. Specifically the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is accepting proposals from firms that support Evergreen, an open source software. DHS seeks assistance in training staff, and providing support to staff responsible for planning and implementing the launch of Evergreen as an integrated research system. The services to be performed include assisting the DHS in making changes that bring to use of electronic circulation of an online catalog and technical support services and to provide recommendations to DHS for hardware procurement and firewall procurement. Included will be: (1) Scope of Work and Cost Proposal: Complete responses for each item in Services to be Performed; and (2) Relevant Experience: Detail your firm's experience in providing Evergreen installation services, as well as Evergreen support services.

The Bid Process

The bid provided by Evergreen integrated research systems includes online distribution of an electronic catalog with the proposed charge of $1,400.00 and technical support services with proposed charges of $2,500.00 per year. Lastly, the government is advised to obtain hardware and firewall systems from Cisco at a cost of $3,997.51 for CISCO ASA 5520 Firewall Edition Security Appliance. Evergreen has adhered to the standard form of solicitation for procuring the government contract and has provided the same types of services to the U.S. Navy.

II. Standard Form of Solicitation

The standard form of solicitation in the government contracting process is related in the work of Vernon J. Edwards who states that the process involves the agency issuing a request for proposals soliciting proposals from all competitors. The agency then sends competing proposals and convenes a panel of set of panels to evaluate the competing proposals on the basis of the complete set of evaluation factors for the award. The decision maker is informed in writing and the decision maker is stated to "either: (a) select the contractor or (b) establish a "competitive range" that includes all of the most highly rated competitors." (Edwards, 2003, p.2) The agency negotiates through discussions with the remaining competitors and request the competitors remaining to submit their final proposal revisions which are then receives, evaluated and reports in writing made to the decision=maker who selects the contracts and announces the award of the contract. The evaluation of competitive negotiations in government contracts serve to bring about a reduction in cost resulting in savings for the government. (Edwards, paraphrased)

III. Protesting a Bid