How should proposals be organized in most Part 15 procurements?

• A. In three separate binders: technical, management, and legal compliance.
• B. In a single volume with all sections combined.
• C. In separate volumes for technical/management and past performance, and a separate price/cost proposal.
• D. In two volumes: technical and price, with no past performance.

Answer: (C)

Proposals in Part 15 are organized to support an objective evaluation separate from cost considerations. Keeping non-price factors apart from price, and giving past performance its own focus, lets evaluators assess technical merit and risk without price influencing those judgments. The common format is three volumes: one for the technical/management content, a separate volume for past performance, and a separate price/cost volume. This arrangement helps ensure a fair, best-value decision by evaluating how well offerors meet the technical requirements and how risky they are based on prior work, before evaluating price.

Other formats mix content in ways that can bias evaluation or obscure key factors. A binder split only by broad areas or a single-volume submission blends technical, management, and other content, making it harder to compare non-price factors independently. A plan that omits past performance neglects a critical factor in risk assessment for best-value procurements. Therefore, organizing into three volumes with a separate price proposal aligns with standard Part 15 practice.