ROERULESOF (Engagement)

What is ROERULESOF (Engagement)?

ROERULESOF (Engagement) outlines the specific protocols and restrictions governing a government contractor's interactions with government officials throughout the acquisition lifecycle, particularly during the solicitation and evaluation phases. It acts as a guideline for appropriate and ethical communication. These rules ensure a level playing field for all potential vendors and maintain the integrity of the procurement process.

Definition

ROERULESOF (Engagement) is a set of guidelines established by a government agency to regulate the communication and interaction between government personnel involved in a procurement and potential contractors. It defines the boundaries of acceptable conduct during various stages, including pre-solicitation, proposal submission, evaluation, and award. These rules aim to prevent conflicts of interest, maintain fairness, and ensure that all offerors have equal access to information, thus promoting a transparent and competitive acquisition process. These rules are often shared during bidder conferences or published as amendments to the solicitation. Non-compliance can lead to disqualification from the bidding process.

These guidelines typically address issues such as: who is authorized to communicate with offerors, the permitted methods of communication (e.g., email, phone calls), the types of information that can be shared, and the procedures for addressing questions or concerns. The legal basis for these rules often stems from regulations promoting fair competition, preventing improper influence, and upholding ethical standards in government contracting.

Key Points

• Communication Channels: Specifies the authorized points of contact for contractors to direct their questions and receive official responses.
• Information Control: Dictates what information can be shared with offerors and how it must be disseminated to ensure equal access.
• Restrictions on Lobbying: Prohibits or restricts direct or indirect attempts to influence the procurement process outside of formal channels.
• Conflict of Interest Prevention: Prevents interactions that could create a real or perceived conflict of interest, ensuring impartiality in the selection process.

Practical Examples

1. Pre-Proposal Conference: During a pre-proposal conference, the CO clearly states that all questions must be submitted in writing through a designated portal and that only responses posted on SAM.gov are considered official answers. Verbal answers given during the conference are not binding.
2. Clarification Requests: An offeror attempts to contact the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) directly to get clarification on a technical requirement. The COTR is instructed to redirect the offeror to the designated contact within the contracting office, ensuring all communication goes through the proper channels.
3. Evaluation Phase: After submitting a proposal, a contractor invites a member of the evaluation team to a private lunch. The evaluator is ethically obligated to decline the invitation to avoid any appearance of preferential treatment or undue influence on the evaluation process.