Tiered Evaluation of Offers

Tiered Evaluation of Offers

“Tiered evaluation of offers,” also known as “cascading evaluation of offers,” means a procedure used in negotiated acquisitions, when market research is inconclusive for justifying limiting competition to small business concerns, whereby the contracting officer—

• (1) Solicits and receives offers from both small and other than small business concerns;
• (2) Establishes a tiered or cascading order of precedence for evaluating offers that is specified in the solicitation; and
• (3) If no award can be made at the first tier, evaluates offers at the next lower tier, until award can be made.