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<section article="gsf" article_name="State Finance and Procurement" number="13-104" title_number="13" title_name="Source Selection -- State Procurement Contracts" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Methods of Source Selection">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Competitive sealed proposals is the preferred method for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>human, social, cultural, or educational services; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>security services with an expected value that is greater than $1,000,000.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Whenever procurement is based on competitive sealed proposals, a procurement officer shall seek proposals by issuing a request for proposals.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A request for proposals shall include a statement of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the scope of the procurement contract, including the expected degree of minority business enterprise participation, as provided in § 14–303(b) of this article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a summary of the factors used to determine the expected degree of minority business enterprise participation for the procurement contract, including subcontracting opportunities identified for the project, any applicable North American Industry Classification System codes linked to the subcontracting opportunities, and the number of certified minority business enterprises in those industries;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the factors, including price, that will be used in evaluating proposals; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the relative importance of each factor.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A unit shall publish a request for proposals in the same manner as required for an invitation for bids.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>After receipt of proposals but before the procurement officer awards the procurement contract, a unit may conduct discussions with an offeror to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>obtain the best price for the State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>ensure full understanding of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the requirements of the State, as set forth in the request for proposals; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the proposal submitted by the offeror.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If discussions are conducted, the unit:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall conduct the discussions in accordance with regulations adopted under this Division II;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>shall provide an opportunity to participate to each responsible offeror who submits a proposal that, in the judgment of the procurement officer, is reasonably susceptible of being selected for award;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>shall treat all of those responsible offerors fairly and equally;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>may allow all of those responsible offerors to revise their initial proposals by submitting best and final offers, if discussions indicate that it would be in the best interests of the State to do so;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>may conduct more than 1 series of discussions and requests for best and final offers; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>may not disclose to an offeror any information derived from a proposal of or discussions with a competing offeror.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, an oral presentation is required when:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the total value of the contract is expected to exceed $2,000,000 for architectural and engineering services;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the total value of the contract is expected to exceed $10,000,000 for construction and construction related services; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>for any other procurement, including information technology and professional services, the total value of the contract is expected to exceed $5,000,000.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the procurement officer makes a written determination that oral presentations are unlikely to aid in the evaluation process, oral presentations are not required.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a proposal is irrevocable for the period specified in the request for proposals; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a best and final offer is irrevocable for the period specified in the request for best and final offers.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A procurement officer may allow an offeror to correct or withdraw a proposal or best and final offer if correction or withdrawal is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>allowed under regulations adopted under this Division II; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>approved in writing by the Office of the Attorney General.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>After obtaining any approval required by law, the procurement officer shall award the procurement contract to the responsible offeror who submits the proposal or best and final offer determined to be the most advantageous to the State considering the evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposals.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A unit shall publish notice of a contract in excess of the small procurement amount specified in § 13–109 of this subtitle awarded under this section, or a lower amount set by the Board by regulation in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article in eMaryland Marketplace.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An unsuccessful offeror may submit a request to the procurement officer for a debriefing of the recommended contract award.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>After receiving a request for a debriefing under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the procurement officer shall provide the debriefing:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>as soon as is feasible after receiving the request; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>before the recommended contract award is presented for approval to the head of the unit or the Board.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Except for information reasonably determined by the procurement officer to be confidential, proprietary, or privileged, a debriefing required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include all relevant information.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Office of State Procurement shall establish guidelines and procedures for debriefings, including a deadline for an unsuccessful offeror to submit a request for a debriefing.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
