If discussions are held in the contracting process, with whom must they be held?

In the contracting process, discussions must be held with all offerors in the competitive range. This is important because the purpose of discussions is to clarify proposals and ensure that the government understands the offerors' submissions fully. By engaging with all offerors within the competitive range, the contracting officer can gather additional information that may affect their final decision and facilitate a fair and transparent competitive process.

Holding discussions only with the lowest-priced offerors or those with the highest past performance could create an uneven playing field and limit the government's ability to obtain the best value. Additionally, engaging with all submitted proposals regardless of scores would not be practical; focusing only on those in the competitive range allows for a targeted and efficient discussion process.