Developing Evaluation Standards
Evaluators must be able to determine the relative merit of each proposal with respect to the evaluation factors. Evaluation standards provide guides to help evaluators measure how well a proposal addresses each factor and subfactor identified in the solicitation. Standards permit the evaluation of proposals against a uniform objective baseline rather than against each other. The use of evaluation standards minimizes bias which can result from an initial direct comparison of offers. Standards also promote consistency in the evaluation by ensuring that the evaluators evaluate each proposal against the same baseline. In developing standards for each evaluation factor and subfactor, you should consider the following:
- As you develop your evaluation factors, concurrently draft a standard for each factor and subfactor.
- Define the standard by a narrative description that specifies a target level that the proposal must achieve in order to meet the standard for the factor or subfactor consistent with the requirements of the solicitation.
- Describe guidelines for higher or lower ratings compared to the standard "target". Overly general standards should be avoided because they make consensus among evaluators more difficult to obtain and may obscure the differences between proposals. A standard should be worded so that mere inclusion of a topic in an offeror's proposal will not result in a determination that the proposal meets the standard.
While it is sometimes easier to develop quantitative standards because of their definitive nature, qualitative standards are commonly used in source selections. Standards, as part of the source selection methodology, should be included in the source selection plan.