Competitive Range

The competitive range is the subset of offerors selected by the contracting officer to participate in discussions before submitting final proposal revisions, comprising those whose proposals have a reasonable chance of being selected for award.

What is Competitive Range?

Competitive range determination is made under FAR 15.306(c) after the initial technical evaluation is complete. The contracting officer reviews evaluation results and determines which offerors' proposals are in the competitive range, meaning each has a real possibility of award at a fair and reasonable price, considering only the most likely award scenarios.

Key rules governing competitive range:

• All offerors with a reasonable chance must be included: The contracting officer cannot arbitrarily limit the range to only the top-rated proposals if others also have a realistic chance of award
• Limitation of the range: If the range would include so many proposals that efficient competition would be impracticable, it may be limited to the most highly rated proposals (but only if the solicitation states this is possible)
• Notification: Offerors excluded from the competitive range must be promptly notified and offered a pre-award debriefing
• Price as a factor: A proposal that is technically unacceptable may be excluded even if the company has submitted the lowest price, technical acceptability is a prerequisite for competitive range inclusion

After competitive range determination, the contracting officer conducts discussions with each competitive range offeror. These may be written exchanges, oral sessions, or both. Discussions allow the government to point out weaknesses and deficiencies and give offerors the opportunity to correct them in their Final Proposal Revisions (FPR).

Why Competitive Range matters for government contractors

Competitive range exclusion is the most common trigger for a bid protest. If your proposal is excluded from the competitive range, you have been effectively told you are out of the competition, request a pre-award debriefing immediately to understand why. A protest challenging competitive range exclusion must be filed within 10 days of the debriefing. The key grounds for such protests are: the agency applied unstated evaluation criteria, evaluators made factual errors about your proposal, or the rating process was inconsistent across offerors. Receiving detailed debriefing feedback is critical for future proposal improvement even if you choose not to protest.

Example

Eight companies submit proposals for a DHS cybersecurity contract. After technical evaluation, ratings are: Company A (Outstanding), Company B (Good), Company C (Good), Company D (Acceptable), Company E (Acceptable), Company F (Marginal), Company G (Marginal), Company H (Unacceptable). The contracting officer determines Companies A through E are in the competitive range, all have a reasonable chance of award. Company F's marginal rating, combined with a price significantly above the IGCE, gives it no realistic chance. Company G is similarly marginal with a price premium. Company H is unacceptable. Companies F, G, and H are excluded and offered debriefings. The contracting officer conducts discussions with Companies A through E.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the competitive range be reduced after discussions begin?

Yes. If during discussions an offeror becomes clearly not in line for award (for example, they refuse to address a deficiency), the contracting officer may exclude them from the competitive range even after discussions have started. The contracting officer must document the basis for mid-discussion exclusion.

What if I'm told I'm in the competitive range, should I submit a revised proposal anyway?

Yes. Being in the competitive range means you have a real chance, but you must respond to all weaknesses and deficiencies identified during discussions and improve your proposal in FPR. Companies that treat FPR as a formality and submit minimal changes frequently lose to competitors who substantively improved their proposals.

How long does it take to get competitive range notification after proposal submission?

There is no regulatory requirement for a specific timeframe, but most agencies issue competitive range notifications within 30 to 90 days of the proposal deadline. Complex evaluations for large contracts can take longer. The agency has an obligation to conduct evaluation within a reasonable time to avoid protests based on unreasonable delay.

Is there a difference between "competitive range exclusion" and "technical unacceptability"?

Yes. Technical unacceptability means the proposal fails to meet minimum requirements, it is automatically excluded. Competitive range exclusion is a separate determination that even if a proposal meets minimum requirements, it has no realistic chance of award compared to higher-rated proposals. Both result in exclusion from discussions, but the bases are different.