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To Contents	Delaying Proposal Due Dates
By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 03:31 pm: The Forest Service was recently directed to defer contract awards, due to the severity of the current fire season. However, most folks believe Congress will eventually provide additional funds to cover suppression costs, and are anticipating receiving the project funds back. I am proposing to extend all proposal due dates to...say 15 Sep 02, on all solicitations currently on the street. Then, if and when funding comes back, issue another amendment "accelerating" the proposal due date. I am getting funny looks from everyone I talk to. They seem to believe that I am prohibited from "accelerating" the proposal due date once I have extended it. I don't think that is the case. I am simply trying to prepare for last minute funding, if that should be the case. By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 05:44 pm: Follow on question....can a RFP be issued if funding is currently not available? I say yes..the requirement is valid, and I have a reasonable expectation that funding will become available at some future point. Comments???? Come on folks..I need some feedback here. I will really be behind the 8-ball if I wait for all the right blocks to be checked before I proceed. By AnonCon on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 06:23 pm: Can you issue amendments to suspend/postpone the current solicitations with an explanation that future amendments will be issued to "re-open" the solicitations and establish revised proposal due dates (once your funding situation for each requirement is clearer)? As a contractor, I would rather be told "things are on hold for now, but stay tuned" rather than receive an arbitrary due date and then be told that proposals are due earlier than previously stated. By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 06:27 pm: RE: Your follow-on question - Would you intend to include the clause 52.238-18 "Availability of Funds"? Have you reviewed SubPart 32.7 and all applicable supplements? RE: Part 1 of your question - would you inform the offerors/bidders of your intentions and describe the present situation? By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 07:11 pm: Yes...the amendment would describe our current budget position. I agree with AnonCon, I feel my contractors would like to know what the heck is going on! No..I would not include FAR 52.238-18...I don't anticipate using next years funds..only this year's should they be given back to us! Thanks.... By Anonymous8 on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 08:50 am: I would ensure that a very visible notice is in the RFP that states that funding is not presently available. By cmercy on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 08:58 am: Its already July...why not just establish a due date and take the proposals.If additional funding is not timely provided,amend and award. By joel hoffman on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 10:35 am: Although it is close to the time you expect funds to be made available, I'd still include a notice that funds aren't presently available. Regardless of whether one 'anticipates' them being made available. Contractors constantly tell me that they hate it when the government or private owners put out solicitations with no funds, then the award falls through. I don't believe Smokey can assure the contracting community that funds will be available. happy sails! joel hoffman By Smokey on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 10:42 am: Thanks to all for comments....I still intend on notifying all offerors that funds are not currently available and they can choose to spend time and money on the proposal that may not happen.

Delaying Proposal Due Dates

By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 03:31 pm:

The Forest Service was recently directed to defer contract awards, due to the severity of the current fire season. However, most folks believe Congress will eventually provide additional funds to cover suppression costs, and are anticipating receiving the project funds back.

I am proposing to extend all proposal due dates to...say 15 Sep 02, on all solicitations currently on the street. Then, if and when funding comes back, issue another amendment "accelerating" the proposal due date. I am getting funny looks from everyone I talk to. They seem to believe that I am prohibited from "accelerating" the proposal due date once I have extended it. I don't think that is the case.

I am simply trying to prepare for last minute funding, if that should be the case.

By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 05:44 pm:

Follow on question....can a RFP be issued if funding is currently not available? I say yes..the requirement is valid, and I have a reasonable expectation that funding will become available at some future point.

Comments???? Come on folks..I need some feedback here. I will really be behind the 8-ball if I wait for all the right blocks to be checked before I proceed.

By AnonCon on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 06:23 pm:

Can you issue amendments to suspend/postpone the current solicitations with an explanation that future amendments will be issued to "re-open" the solicitations and establish revised proposal due dates (once your funding situation for each requirement is clearer)?

As a contractor, I would rather be told "things are on hold for now, but stay tuned" rather than receive an arbitrary due date and then be told that proposals are due earlier than previously stated.

By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 06:27 pm:

RE: Your follow-on question - Would you intend to include the clause 52.238-18 "Availability of Funds"? Have you reviewed SubPart 32.7 and all applicable supplements?

RE: Part 1 of your question - would you inform the offerors/bidders of your intentions and describe the present situation?

By Smokey on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 07:11 pm:

Yes...the amendment would describe our current budget position. I agree with AnonCon, I feel my contractors would like to know what the heck is going on!

No..I would not include FAR 52.238-18...I don't anticipate using next years funds..only this year's should they be given back to us!

Thanks....

By Anonymous8 on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 08:50 am:

I would ensure that a very visible notice is in the RFP that states that funding is not presently available.

By cmercy on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 08:58 am:

Its already July...why not just establish a due date and take the proposals.If additional funding is not timely provided,amend and award.

By joel hoffman on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 10:35 am:

Although it is close to the time you expect funds to be made available, I'd still include a notice that funds aren't presently available. Regardless of whether one 'anticipates' them being made available. Contractors constantly tell me that they hate it when the government or private owners put out solicitations with no funds, then the award falls through. I don't believe Smokey can assure the contracting community that funds will be available. happy sails! joel hoffman

By Smokey on Thursday, July 11, 2002 - 10:42 am:

Thanks to all for comments....I still intend on notifying all offerors that funds are not currently available and they can choose to spend time and money on the proposal that may not happen.