(a) Use of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Lowest price technically acceptable may be a useful evaluation process when placing task or delivery orders. FAR 16.505(b)(1)(ii)(F) prescribes when this process is appropriate to use. For assisted acquisitions for DoD, DFARS 216.505(b)(1)(A) prescribes the required LPTA considerations. A contracting officer should not use this process without doing the following:

(1) Documentation requirements. If the contract’s ordering instructions allow for the use of the lowest price technically acceptable, the rationale for why this method of evaluation is being utilized should be clearly described in the acquisition plan (see FAR 7.105(b)(4)). The rationale should include a description as to why utilizing this methodology will not harm the Government.

(b) Task-order and delivery-order ombudsman. C

(1) Contract Level. For solicitations and contracts when GSA multiple-award indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts are contemplated, contracting officers shall reference http://www.gsa.gov/ombudsman when completing paragraph (a) of FAR clause 52.216-32, Task-Order and Delivery-Order Ombudsman.

(2) Order Level .

(i) GSA orders. For task and delivery orders placed by GSA under multiple-award, multiple-agency IDIQ contracts, contracting officers shall reference http://www.gsa.gov/ombudsman when completing paragraph (d) of Alternate I FAR Clause 52.216-32.

(ii) Non-GSA orders. For task and delivery orders placed by agencies other than GSA under GSA multiple-award, multiple-agency IDIQ contracts, ordering activity contracting officers shall reference the contact information of that ordering agency's task-order and delivery-order ombudsman when completing paragraph (d) of Alternate I FAR Clause 52.216-32.