Alternate Offeror

Welcome to DLA Land and Maritime’s Alternate Offer Program

Suppliers should submit alternate offers in response to a solicitation or open purchase request directly to the assigned contracting officer. Suppliers must submit a valid quote along with the complete technical data package to the buyer. Suppliers should submit "unsolicited" alternate offers along with a complete technical data package to the Source Development Office. An economic analysis of alternate offers will be performed and the contractor will be notified of the results. The integrity of the alternate offer review process followed in each commodity/application group is monitored to ensure a quality review has been performed.

The definition of an Alternate Offer per Integrated Policy Memorandum NO. 97-0011:

An Alternate Offer is an offer, under an active solicitation, to provide an item, which is from other than an approved source and/or is not the exact part numbered item cited in the Acquisition Identification Description (AID). To be approved the alternate offeror's product must be identical to, or be physically, mechanically, electrically, and functionally interchangeable with, the product cited in the AID.

A Source Approval Request (SAR) is a manufacturer's proposal supplemented by data that includes all of the Engineering Support Activity (ESA) data required for a competent manufacturer to produce an item that is equal or better than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) designed part.

Alternate Offer/Source Approval Program

Please be aware that 80% of Alternate Offer/Source Approval Request package fail for the following reasons:

• Not economically feasible due to low annual demand. (see https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil/ra/srva/default.aspx for estimated forecasting requirements)
• Contractor failed to provide qualification item data and drawings (OEM).
• Drawing approval signature blocks not signed and dated.
• Test Plan not provided. (see DI-NDTI-80809B for an example test plan)
• Drawings not included.)

Note – Unsolicited Offer packages may be submitted to the Alternate Offer Monitor –BPP without waiting for an active Solicitation to be released for future procurement requirements consideration.