Section 12-6.210 - DebriefingsIn accordance with Chapter 3, Section 3.107.18 of the Manual, the Agency Procurement Officer is authorized to provide debriefings that furnish the basis of the source selection decision and contract award. Debriefings may only be conducted when utilizing the competitive sealed proposal process as authorized in Chapter 3, Section 3.107.
(1) At the written request of any offeror who has submitted a proposal, debriefings may be given orally, in writing, or by any other method acceptable to the Agency Procurement Officer. Such debriefings may be given at any time on or after the eighth (8th) day after the agency has awarded the contract. In no case may an offeror request a debriefing more than thirty (30) days after the agency has awarded the contract.(2) An offeror's written request for a debriefing should include a list of any questions an offeror may have in order to assist the Agency Procurement Officer or agency staff in preparing for the debriefing.(3) A post-award debriefing may include:(a) The agency's evaluation of significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the proposal, if applicable;(b) The overall evaluated cost or price (including unit prices) and technical rating, if applicable, of the successful offeror and the debriefed offeror;(c) The overall ranking of all proposals, when any such ranking was developed during the source selection;(d) A summary of the rationale for award;(e) Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the Request for Proposals and applicable law were followed.(4) Post-award debriefings should not include point-by-point comparisons of the debriefed proposal with those of other offerors.(5) Any debriefing should not reveal any information prohibited from disclosure by law, or exempt from release under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, including trade secrets, or privileged or confidential commercial or manufacturing information. Agencies should consult their Public Information Officer or agency legal representative for guidance in complying with the Act prior to conducting debriefings.(6) Debriefings are non-adversarial business meetings. Accordingly, offerors may bring legal representation to any oral debriefing, although it is not necessary. If, however, any offeror has legal representation present during an oral debriefing, the agency must also have its legal representative in attendance. Questioning of agency staff by offerors' legal representative(s) is not permitted. (7) A summary of any debriefing should be included in the contract file.