Source selection authority and competition paths

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Source selection authority (SSA)

The source selection authority (SSA) — often the contracting officer unless the agency head appoints someone else — establishes an evaluation team, ensures evaluation against the solicitation’s factors, considers advisory recommendations, and selects the source whose proposal is the best value to the Government. In Part 15 negotiated acquisitions, the team evaluates against stated factors; the SSA owns the selection judgment.

"The source selection authority shall— … Ensure that proposals are evaluated based solely on the factors and subfactors contained in the solicitation … Select the source or sources whose proposal is the best value to the Government."

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Full and open, set-aside, and sole-source

For open-market acquisitions within Part 6’s scope, full and open competition is the general rule. A small-business set-aside limits eligibility under Part 19 without requiring a separate Part 6 justification. A sole-source path needs an applicable FAR 6.302 authority and, when required, a written justification and approval — not program-office preference alone. Orders and other acquisitions outside Part 6 follow their own limited-source or fair-opportunity rules. At strategy time, name the competition path and the eligibility consequences for your prime structure before you spend B&P as if the field were already fixed.