A lowest price technically acceptable source selection process is appropriate when:

• A. Best value is expected from the technically acceptable proposal with the highest price.
• B. Best value is expected from the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price.
• C. Tradeoffs are permitted among cost and noncost factors.
• D. The award will be made to the highest technically rated proposal regardless of price.

Answer: (D)

Lowest Price Technically Acceptable is used when the government wants to minimize cost after ensuring proposals meet the minimum technical requirements. Once proposals are found technically acceptable, the award goes to the one with the lowest evaluated price, and no further tradeoffs are made based on noncost factors. This approach is appropriate when the requirement is well defined, the risk of selecting a cheaper solution that still meets the need is acceptable, and there isn’t a meaningful difference in noncost factors to justify paying more. Awarding to the highest technically rated proposal regardless of price would ignore cost entirely and doesn’t fit LPTA. Likewise, resolving using tradeoffs among cost and noncost factors describes a best-value process, not LPTA.