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Once the purchase/SCM team has determined which supplier offers the Postal Service the best value and appropriate reviews and approvals have been obtained, the contract award is made by execution of a contract by both parties, or by written acceptance of, or performance against, a purchase order. Suppliers who competed but were not awarded contract(s) (“unsuccessful offerors”) must be sent written notification within three days of contract award. If simplified purchasing techniques were used, see Section 2-43.8, Notification to Unsuccessful Offerors, for policies related to notification to unsuccessful offerors. Otherwise, unsuccessful offerors must be told the following:
- The name and mailing address of each supplier receiving an award.
- The items, quantities, and total contract price of each award, or the total estimated value for indefinite-delivery and cost-reimbursement contracts.
Note: Unit prices within contracts are considered information of a commercial nature which, pursuant to Postal Service Freedom of Information (FOIA) decisions, should not be released. See Handbook 353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management, and 39 U.S.C. section 410(c)(2) for further information. If providing the items, quantities, and total contract price allows for calculation of unit prices, then the quantity must be withheld from the notification.
- A statement that briefly describes the business reasons for the award. The statement should provide the pertinent facts that led the purchase/SCM team to determine that a particular proposal offered the best value to the Postal Service. For example: “The selected offeror provided the best value to the Postal Service as they provided the highest ranked proposal based on the solicitation’s evaluation factors and offered the second lowest price. The solicitation’s evaluation scheme stated that proposal evaluation factors were more important than price.”
Contracting officers may also include information in the notification letters on how the unsuccessful offeror may improve proposals submitted in the future and that an opportunity for feedback is available (See Section 3-3, Provide Feedback). The Unsuccessful Offeror Notification Letter can be transmitted electronically or by certified mail with return receipt. In no event shall an offeror’s cost breakdown, profit, overhead rates, trade secrets, manufacturing processes and techniques, or other confidential business information be disclosed to any other offeror.
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