If an offeror lacks relevant past performance history, how must evaluators rate the lack of information?

When an offeror lacks relevant past performance history, evaluators must consider the absence of information as neutral, meaning it does not contribute positively or negatively to the overall evaluation of the offeror's capabilities. This approach is based on the principle that past performance evaluations aim to assess an offeror's ability to meet contract requirements based on their historical performance records.

If no data is available, evaluators cannot make a definitive judgment that it should be viewed negatively since there is no evidence of poor performance. Conversely, without any past performance history, there is also insufficient evidence to deem the offeror's capability as favorable. Thus, the neutrality of the lack of past performance history avoids penalizing an offeror for something they have not had the opportunity to demonstrate or for situations that may be outside their control.

This understanding ensures a fair evaluation process, allowing each offeror's proposal to be judged based on the information available rather than drawing conclusions from silence or absence of evidence.