Contractors will notice that LPTA procurements will be seen less often. You can thank the implementation of a proposed rule that occurred today.
FAR rule: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-10-02/pdf/2019-20798.pdf
The new FAR rule places LPT limitations on the use of LPTA procedures. Here are the two we feel are the most important.
Civilian agencies should “avoid, to the maximum extent practicable, using” LPTA procedures for procurements that are “predominately for the acquisition of”:
Information technology services, cybersecurity services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, advanced electronic testing, audit or audit readiness services, health care services and records, telecommunications devices and services, or other knowledge-based professional services;
Personal protective equipment; or
Knowledge-based training or logistics services in contingency operations or other operations outside the United States, including in Afghanistan or Iraq.
There are five criteria that must be met in order for an agency to procure using LPTA procedures:
The agency can comprehensively and clearly describe the minimum requirements in terms of performance objectives, measures, and standards that will be used to determine the acceptability of offers;
The agency would realize no, or minimal, value from a proposal that exceeds the minimum technical or performance requirements;
The agency believes the technical proposals will require no, or minimal, subjective judgment by the source selection authority as to the desirability of one offeror’s proposal versus a competing proposal;
The agency determined that the lowest price reflects the total cost, including operation and support, of the product(s) or service(s) being acquired.
To learn more about the new FAR rule, click here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-10-02/pdf/2019-20798.pdf