FAR 1.102-3—Evaluating agency acquisition processes.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 1.102-3 addresses how agencies should evaluate and improve their acquisition processes by collecting voluntary feedback from people involved in or affected by a procurement. It covers internal agency procedures for seeking feedback, the use of public-facing feedback tools such as surveys, in-person discussions, and group exchanges, the use of the core preaward and debriefing survey questions available at Acquisition 360, and the option to seek targeted feedback at different points in the acquisition lifecycle, including on performance standards and postaward contract administration responsibilities. The section also encourages contracting officers to include the Acquisition 360 voluntary survey provision at FAR 52.201-1 when agency procedures call for it. Most importantly, it draws a bright line that contracting officers may not review survey information until after award and may not use it in making the award decision. In practice, this section is about learning from the acquisition process without compromising fairness, source selection integrity, or the integrity of the award decision.
Key Rules
Agency feedback procedures
Agencies are encouraged to create internal procedures for collecting voluntary feedback from interested parties in an acquisition. The purpose is to identify strengths and weaknesses in the process and improve both effectiveness and efficiency.
Multiple feedback methods allowed
Agencies may use a range of feedback mechanisms, including public surveys, in-person exchanges, and group discussions. The rule is flexible so agencies can choose methods that fit the acquisition and the audience.
Use Acquisition 360 questions
Agencies may use the core preaward and debriefing survey questions posted at Acquisition 360. This gives agencies a common baseline for collecting comparable feedback across acquisitions.
Targeted lifecycle feedback
Agencies may seek feedback on specific aspects of an acquisition throughout its lifecycle, such as performance standards under FAR 1.102-2 or postaward contract administration responsibilities under FAR 42.302. This allows agencies to gather input not just at the end, but when it is most useful.
Optional survey provision insertion
Contracting officers are encouraged to insert FAR 52.201-1, Acquisition 360: Voluntary Survey, in accordance with agency procedures. This makes the voluntary survey process part of the solicitation when the agency chooses to use it.
No pre-award review or use
Contracting officers must not review survey information until after contract award and must not consider it in the award decision. This protects the integrity of competition and prevents feedback from influencing source selection.
Responsibilities
Agency
Develop internal procedures for voluntary feedback collection, decide which feedback mechanisms to use, and determine when and how to seek feedback during the acquisition lifecycle.
Contracting Officer
Follow agency procedures, consider inserting FAR 52.201-1 when appropriate, and ensure that any feedback information is not reviewed before award and is not used in the award decision.
Interested Parties
Provide voluntary feedback if they choose to do so, using the agency’s selected mechanisms such as surveys, interviews, or group exchanges.
Acquisition Workforce
Use the feedback collected to identify process strengths and weaknesses and support continuous improvement in acquisition planning, solicitation design, debriefings, and contract administration.
Practical Implications
This section is about process improvement, not source selection. Contracting officers must keep feedback separate from evaluation and award decisions.
Agencies have flexibility, but they should establish clear procedures so feedback collection is consistent, transparent, and not disruptive to the procurement timeline.
A common pitfall is collecting useful feedback too early in a way that could be perceived as influencing the competition; the rule specifically prohibits pre-award review by the contracting officer.
Another pitfall is failing to align feedback questions with the acquisition phase. Targeted questions should match the issue being studied, such as performance standards or contract administration.
Using Acquisition 360 can help standardize feedback, but agencies still need to decide how to store, route, and analyze responses so they are actually used to improve future acquisitions.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Agencies are encouraged to develop internal procedures seeking voluntary feedback from interested parties in an acquisition to assess process strengths and weaknesses and improve effectiveness and efficiency of the acquisition process. Agencies may— (1) Utilize a variety of feedback mechanisms available to the public ( e.g. , surveys, in-person, and/or group exchanges); (2) Utilize the core preaward and debriefing survey questions at https://www.acquisition.gov/360 ; and (3) Seek additional feedback on targeted aspects of an acquisition throughout its lifecycle ( e.g. , performance standards at 1.102-2 or postaward contract administration responsibilities at 42.302 ). (b) Contracting officers are encouraged to insert the provision 52.201-1 , Acquisition 360: Voluntary Survey, in accordance with agency procedures. (c) Contracting officers shall not review information until after contract award and shall not consider it in the award decision.