What is the primary purpose of source selection under FAR 15.3?

• A. To select the lowest price
• B. To select the best value
• C. To maximize competition
• D. To minimize risk

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to obtain the best overall value to the government through a best-value tradeoff. In negotiated acquisitions under FAR 15.3, you don’t pick the lowest price alone; you evaluate proposals using price plus several non-price factors such as technical merit, past performance, and risk. The tradeoff procedure allows selecting a proposal that offers the greatest overall value, which means a higher price can be acceptable if the proposal provides significantly higher technical quality or lower risk. This emphasis on value over price alone distinguishes source selection here from purely low-bid approaches. While competition and risk are considered, they support the goal of value, not replace it.