Upon request, certain information relating to Public Debt procurement actions can be released to interested parties. The Contracting Officer will make available the maximum information allowable.
Certain types of information, however, cannot be released (FAR 5.401(b)). This includes information:
- On plans that would provide undue or discriminatory advantage to private or personal interests;
- Received in confidence from an offeror;
- Otherwise requiring protection under Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act; or
- Pertaining to internal agency communications (e.g., technical reviews, contracting authority or other reasons, or recommendations referring thereto).
Pre-award Debriefings (FAR 15.505)
An offeror may request a pre-award debriefing by submitting a written request for debriefing to the Contracting Officer within three days of the receipt of notice of exclusion from the competitive range. If the offeror does not submit a timely request, the offeror need not be given either a pre-award or a post-award debriefing. Offerors are entitled to no more than one debriefing on each acquisition.
When conducting a debriefing, the Contracting Officer can release (FAR 15.505(e)):
- The agency's evaluation of significant elements in the offeror's proposal;
- A summary of the rationale for excluding the offeror from the competitive range; and
- Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed in the process of excluding the offeror from the competitive range.
The Contracting Officer cannot release (FAR 15.505(f)):
- The number of offerors;
- The identity of other offerors;
- The content of other offerors' proposals;
- The ranking of other offerors;
- The evaluation of other offerors; or
- Any of the information prohibited from release in a post-award debriefing (see below).
Immediately following the award of a contract, an awardee's name and address and the total contract value is considered public information and available to anyone upon request.
Postaward Debriefings (FAR 15.506)
An offeror shall be debriefed and furnished the basis for the source selection decision and contract award, if its written request is received by the Contracting Officer within three days after the offeror receives notice of contract award. Offerors that requested a postaward debriefing at the time they were eliminated from the competitive range, or otherwise excluded from further consideration prior to the final source selection decision, shall also be provided a debriefing at this time. An offeror that failed to submit a timely request is not entitled to a debriefing. When practicable, debriefing requests received more than three days after the offeror receives notice of contract award may be accommodated.
When conducting a debriefing, the Contracting Officer can release (FAR 15.506(d)):
- The Government's evaluation of the significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the offeror's proposal, if applicable;
- The overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating, if applicable, of the successful offeror and the debriefed offeror;
- The overall ranking of all offerors when any ranking was developed by the agency during source selection;
- A summary of the rationale for award;
- For acquisitions of commercial end items, the make and model of the item to be delivered by the successful offeror; and
- Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed.
The Contracting Officer cannot release (FAR 15.506(e)):
- Point-by-point comparisons of the debriefed offeror's proposal with those of other offerors;
- Information exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act;
- Trade secrets;
- Privileged or confidential manufacturing processes and techniques;
- Commercial and financial information that is privileged or confidential, including cost breakdowns, profit indirect cost rates, and similar information; and
- The names of individuals providing reference information about an offeror's past performance.
Freedom of Information Act Requests
If anyone requests other information such as another offeror's technical or price proposals, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request must be made. Before deciding whether to disclose or withhold information, we will ask the business submitter what it considers confidential.
Contacts:
Debriefings & Other Non-FOIA Requests & Questions
Mail Requests
Bureau of the Public Debt
Division of Procurement
200 Third Street, Avery 5-F
Parkersburg, WV 26106-5312
Phone: (304) 480-7137
E-mail: Procurement@bpd.treas.gov
FOIA Requests
Mail Requests:
Bureau of the Public Debt
Disclosure Officer
Administrative Resource Center
200 Third Street
Room 211
Parkersburg, WV 26106-5312
Fax requests: (304) 480-7722
Questions about filing under FOIA (We can not accept FOIA requests via e-mail.):
Phone & E-mail Requests
Phone: (304) 480-7928
E-mail: FOIA@bpd.treas.gov