§ 927.7000 - Disclosure outside Government.

(a) It is DOE policy to have proposals evaluated by the most competent persons available in the Goverment. In addition, DOE may meet its evaluation needs by having proposals reviewed by evaluators and contractor organizations operating or managing government-owned facilities. Outside evaluations may be made provided the requirements in (b) and (c) below are met. A decision to employ outside evaluators shall take into consideration requirements for avoidance of organizational conflicts of interest set forth in 909.5 and the competitive relationship, if any, between the proposer and the outside evaluator.

(b) Decisions to evaluate proposals outside the government shall be made only by the Source Selection Official with the concurrence of the Procurement Executive, Headquarters, for all source evaluation board acquisitions, or by the Senior Program Offical or designee with the concurrence of the HCA or his designee for other acquisitions. If the proposal under consideration expressly indicates that only Government evaluation is authorized and evaluation outside the Government is neverthless desired, the proposer shall be advised that DOE may be unable to give full consideration to the proposal unless the proposer consents in writing to having the proposal evaluated outside the Government.

(c) Where it is determined to evaluate a proposal outside the Government, such as by consultants, grantees or contractors including those who grant or manage Government-owned facilities the following agreement or an equivalent arrangement for the treatment of the proposal shall be obtained from the outside evaluator before DOE furnishes a copy of the proposal to such person. In addition, care should be taken that the handling notice required by 927.7003 is affixed to a cover sheet attached to the proposal before it is disclosed to the evaluator.