Pop Quiz During Oral Presentations

Interested in "pop-quiz" format for oral presentations. A typical pop quiz question might be "Please describe your courseware development process." There would be several others, all used to determine level of understanding. Of particular interest is the desire to ask real time follow up questions as the oral presentation proceeds (maybe ask follow-up questions after each of several questions). An example follow-up question might be "In your description of courseware development, you mentioned "X." Could you expand on what X entails, and what benefit it brings?"

Do you believe the answers to these types of follow up questions constistute discussions? Why?

Look at the third case down.

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Not the way you've explained it. The follow-up questions would be used to enhance the evaluators' understanding of what the offeror originally said, not to entertain proposal revisions.

Those questions don't constitute discussions but they are different than what most call "pop quizes." Generally pop quizes contain questions like "what would you do in this situation?" "what is the largest challenge you faced, why, and how did you resolve it?" In other words, pop quizes test the offeror's team to see if they really know their stuff. Anyone can say anything in a proposal or rehersed oral presentation, but this kind of quiz gets to the heart of what they know.

Thanks all. After a little research (yes ? I should have done this first), here?s what I found:

1. Cibinic & Nash "Competitive Negotiations" GWU Reference Book, page 483, Oral Presentations Para 4. Exchanges with Government Team: "The present regulations make it clear that agency officials may ask questions and seek further detail. This is consistent with prior decisions, NAHB Research Found, Inc, Comp. Gen. Dec. B-219344, 85-2 CPD." Although I know the FAR describes the oral presentation process as an open dialogue amoungst the parties, I couldn?t find ?regulations that make it clear that agency officials may ask questions and seek further detail.?

2. Also called out in Para 4 above, Case Development Alternatives, Inc, File B-279920 Date Aug 6 1998: "..Offerors were told...they would be required to make an oral presentation followed by a brief, fact-finding interview process." ... "The interview process will be limited to questions concerning information requested in the BAFO... No discussions or an other form of negotiations will take place."

"...the record shows that the questions asked are in the nature of clarifications --- they merely request additional detail concerning information already presented..."

"For example,...(offeror) reduced by ten the number of Bosnian lending professionals that it would use under the contract. During the oral interview the firm was asked to describe any changes that this reduction would require in the way the lending staff was deployed and organized. Other questions included requests for elaboration on the reasons for selecting particular personnel and on arguments made and postions taken to support a particular approach...."

best practice - send vendor out of room while you develop initial questions after they make their presentation. That way KO can make sure you're clarifying and not offering an opportunity to improve. And one person should ask the questions. If the answer generates a follow-up, it gets fed to that person on paper, so they can tinker with wording if needed.

My organization routinely uses oral presentations with Q&A for clarification afterwards. During initial question gathering, there's usually one we throw out because it's along they lines of "they didn't talk about this - can we get them to address it?" That's when the govt caucus comes in really handy

best practice - send vendor out of room while you develop initial questions after they make their presentation. That way KO can make sure you're clarifying and not offering an opportunity to improve. And one person should ask the questions. If the answer generates a follow-up, it gets fed to that person on paper, so they can tinker with wording if needed.

My organization routinely uses oral presentations with Q&A for clarification afterwards. During initial question gathering, there's usually one we throw out because it's along they lines of "they didn't talk about this - can we get them to address it?" That's when the govt caucus comes in really handy

Kind of presumptuous to call that a "best practice"?

I'm not sure if deferring questions until the government can caucas is a good idea.

Kind of presumptuous to call that a "best practice"?

It's not a best practice. There is no reason to have only one person ask questions, with others passing him notes. It makes the government folks look like morons. Let each evaluator ask questions and followups in turn. The CO can monitor the discussion and cut off improper questions.