Best Value

Best value is authorized under FAR 15.101-1 (Tradeoff Process) and is the government's preferred approach for complex, high-risk, or quality-sensitive acquisitions. It gives the government flexibility to pay a price premium for demonstrably superior technical or past performance quality — provided the premium is justified in a documented tradeoff decision.

How best value evaluation works:

• Section L (Instructions) tells you how to structure and submit your proposal
• Section M (Evaluation Factors) defines the factors, their relative importance, and how they will be rated
• Evaluators assign adjectival ratings to each factor: Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable
• Past Performance is typically rated separately: Substantial Confidence, Satisfactory Confidence, Limited Confidence, No Confidence, Unknown Confidence
• The Source Selection Authority (SSA) makes a documented tradeoff comparing the rated proposals and their prices

How to win in a best value competition:

• Differentiate on technical approach — show innovative methods, risk mitigation, and a deep understanding of the agency's problem
• Build a strong past performance narrative with relevant, recent contracts and positive CPARS ratings
• Justify any price premium explicitly — show the evaluator the value they get for the higher cost
• Price competitively but not at the expense of quality — best value is not a license to overbid

Read Section M obsessively. The evaluation factors and their stated relative importance are your roadmap to winning.