What occurs when award with discussions is contemplated prior to establishing the competitive range?

When contemplating award with discussions prior to establishing the competitive range, the correct answer centers on communications only with those offerors who are deemed uncertain for the competitive range.

This approach allows the contracting officer to clarify any ambiguities and gather necessary information from those proposals that may still have the potential to meet mission requirements, rather than engaging all offerors. The purpose is to ensure that the proposals that are most likely to be competitive and relevant to the needs of the government are focused on, which streamlines the process and makes the most effective use of resources.

Prior to establishing the competitive range, it’s critical to identify which proposals require further dialogue to ascertain their viability. Communicating with all offerors at this stage would not be efficient, as it could lead to unnecessary discussions and complicate the evaluation process.

Thus, the focus is on targeted communications aimed at those proposals that might benefit from further clarification, helping to refine the competitive range effectively.