FAR 36.303-1 Phase One.

(a) Phase One of the solicitation(s) shall include—

(1) The scope of work;

(2) The phase-one evaluation factors, including—

(i) Technical approach (but not detailed design or technical information);

(ii) Technical qualifications, such as—

(A) Specialized experience and technical competence;

(B) Capability to perform;

(C) Past performance of the offeror's team (including the architect-engineer and construction members); and

(iii) Other appropriate factors (excluding cost or price related factors, which are not permitted in Phase One);

(3) Phase-two evaluation factors (see 36.303-2); and

(4) A statement of the maximum number of offerors that will be selected to submit phase-two proposals. The maximum number specified in the solicitation shall not exceed five unless the contracting officer determines, for that particular solicitation, that a number greater than five is in the Government's interest and is consistent with the purposes and objectives of the two-phase design-build selection procedures. The contracting officer shall document this determination in the contract file. For acquisitions greater than $5.5 million, the determination shall be approved by the head of the contracting activity, delegable to a level no lower than the senior contracting official within the contracting activity. In civilian agencies, for this paragraph (a)(4), the senior contracting official is the advocate for competition for the procuring activity, unless the agency designates a different position in agency procedures. The approval shall be documented in the contract file.

(b) After evaluating phase-one proposals, the contracting officer shall select the most highly qualified offerors (not to exceed the maximum number specified in the solicitation in accordance with 36.303-1(a)(4)) and request that only those offerors submit phase-two proposals.