Requirements support, J&A assistance, and brand-name-or-equal descriptions
Boundaries for industry help: evidence and alternatives stay with the Government; competitive work statements and J&As stay with authorized officials.
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Bounded requirements support
FAR 15.201 encourages substantive early exchanges. Industry may provide documented mission data, benchmarks, alternative outcome measures, assumptions, and while the Government develops and controls final requirements. Multiple inputs and Government ownership reduce risk under FAR 9.505-2. Deliver facts, alternatives, and tradeoffs under Government control; refuse paste-ready competitive work statements you intend to bid. If the file would show your company as the primary drafter of the competitive , restructure the support.
Watch for
Silence is not required for every substantive exchange. Sending a complete PWS and evaluation scheme optimized for your solution with “paste unchanged” instructions is the wrong help. Capability briefings that avoid vendor-specific final language can be a safer middle path.
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Justification and approval (J&A) support
Under FAR 6.303-1(c), Government technical and requirements personnel provide and certify supporting data. FAR 6.303-2 specifies the ’s required content; FAR 6.304 requires approval at the authorized Government level. A prospective contractor may supply complete, supportable technical, schedule, market, and transition facts — and must stop there. Facts from industry; judgment, development, certification, and approval from the Government.
Watch for
Writing and approving the J&A because “you know your uniqueness” is not industry’s role. Asking the program to omit or interested sources is not helpful shaping. Your factual packet does not legally compel a decision.
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Brand-name-or-equal description
FAR 11.104 says descriptions must state the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics an equal item must meet. Performance specifications are preferred where suitable. Industry can explain measurable mission needs without turning preference into lock-in. (Agencies adopting an Part 11 model deviation may remove or reserve related baseline coverage — verify the vehicle you are under.) List measurable physical, functional, or performance traits tied to mission need; drop vendor-only implementation trivia.
Watch for
Model number alone with no equal criteria is not enough. Proprietary implementation details unrelated to minimum need are not salient characteristics. “Only our product is acceptable because the program prefers it” is preference, not specification craft.