What is the best-value source selection method?

• A. Selecting proposals based on a combination of price and non-price factors such as quality, technical merit, and risk
• B. Selecting the lowest price only
• C. Random selection
• D. Selecting based on contractor location

Answer: (B)

Evaluating proposals by a mix of price and non-price factors is used to obtain the most advantageous outcome. This means looking at cost alongside quality, technical merit, and risk to determine overall value. The goal is to balance what you pay with how capable and reliable the contractor is, and how likely they are to meet requirements on time and within budget. A bid that costs a bit more but offers stronger technical capabilities, lower risk, or better long-term performance can deliver greater overall value than the cheapest option. If you only chase the lowest price, you can miss important differences in quality, lifecycle costs, and potential risks that affect success. So the best-value approach seeks the best overall value to the project, not simply the lowest upfront price.