What should be done if an electronic proposal version is found to be defective during evaluation?

When an electronic proposal version is found to be defective during evaluation, the appropriate action is to request the offeror to submit a new version. This approach aligns with the principles of fairness and transparency in the procurement process. If a proposal has defects, rather than outright rejecting it, allowing the offeror to correct the mistakes gives them an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies identified. This not only maintains the integrity of the competitive bidding process but also ensures that good proposals are not dismissed due to technical issues, which may have been unintended.

This approach fosters a more inclusive environment where all offerors have the chance to address any issues and submit corrected proposals, thus adhering to the ideals of competition and equitable treatment in procurement procedures. It also upholds the principle that offerors should be given an opportunity to clarify or correct errors, which often arises in the context of complex electronic submissions.

By contrast, rejecting the proposal outright, solely evaluating the paper version, or ignoring the electronic version do not support the objective of giving a fair chance to all offerors and can lead to the loss of potentially valuable proposals.