As the end of the government fiscal year looms, a frenzy of contract awards generally follows, accompanied by an uptick in the number of bid protests filed at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Court of Federal Claims. Below, just in time for protest season, are some best practice reminders that relate to debriefings:

1. Debriefings are an opportunity for your company to learn more about the circumstances of an award, to gather data that will help you to improve future offers and determine if a basis for protest exists. The purpose of the debriefing is to obtain as much information about the procurement as possible. Per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.506, a post-award debriefing must include...