B-151049, MAY 7, 1963
Highlights
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION: WE HAVE A LETTER OF FEBRUARY 26. WE HAVE NO SPECIAL INFORMATION AS TO THE DESIRABILITY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND. THE PURPOSE OF PUBLISHING THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES IS TO BROADEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUBCONTRACTING BY SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS. THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE IN SUBSECTION 1- 1.1003-4 (A) (1) OF THE PROPOSED REVISION PROVIDES FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE LIST OF FIRMS TO WHOM REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. WHILE ASPR 1-1003.3 PROVIDES FOR THE INCLUSION IN THE LIST OF FIRMS TO WHOM REQUESTS ARE TO BE ISSUED. OTHER THAN THE FOREGOING WE HAVE NO COMMENT TO MAKE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED REVISION.
B-151049, MAY 7, 1963
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION:
WE HAVE A LETTER OF FEBRUARY 26, 1963, WITH ENCLOSURE, YOUR REFERENCE BB, SIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ECONOMIC POLICY, OFFICE OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, REQUESTING OUR REVIEW AND COMMENT ON A PROPOSED REVISION OF SECTION 1-1.1003 OF THE FEDERAL PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.
THE PROPOSED REVISION WOULD REQUIRE CONTRACTING OFFICERS TO PUBLISH IN THE COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF FIRMS TO WHOM REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THOSE WHO HAD SUBMITTED ACCEPTABLE TECHNICAL PROPOSALS IN THE FIRST STEP OF TWO-STEP FORMAL ADVERTISING. WE HAVE NO SPECIAL INFORMATION AS TO THE DESIRABILITY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND, THEREFORE, MAKE NO COMMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO.
THE PURPOSE OF PUBLISHING THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES IS TO BROADEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUBCONTRACTING BY SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE MERE NAMES AND ADDRESSES MAY BE INSUFFICIENT FOR A SMALL BUSINESS TO DETERMINE THAT THE POSSIBILITY FOR SUBCONTRACTING EXISTS WITHOUT SOME INFORMATION AS TO THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES TO BE PURCHASED. WE RECOMMEND, THEREFORE, THAT THE LISTING BE AUGMENTED BY A SUFFICIENT DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT TO PERMIT WOULD -BE SUBCONTRACTORS TO ESTIMATE THE SUBCONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS TO BE GENERATED THEREUNDER.
THE PROPOSED REVISION CLOSELY FOLLOWS THE LANGUAGE OF THE EQUIVALENT ASPR PROVISION. WE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE IN SUBSECTION 1- 1.1003-4 (A) (1) OF THE PROPOSED REVISION PROVIDES FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE LIST OF FIRMS TO WHOM REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, WHILE ASPR 1-1003.3 PROVIDES FOR THE INCLUSION IN THE LIST OF FIRMS TO WHOM REQUESTS ARE TO BE ISSUED. THE ASPR PROVISION APPEARS TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLICATION AT AN EARLIER DATE THUS GIVING THE WOULD-BE SUBCONTRACTORS MORE TIME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CONTACTS. WE RECOMMEND CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ADOPTING THE ASPR LANGUAGE IN THIS REGARD.
OTHER THAN THE FOREGOING WE HAVE NO COMMENT TO MAKE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED REVISION.