UKWhat is the Rule of Two?
When a contracting officer reasonably expects at least two responsible small businesses to bid at fair market prices, the requirement must generally be set aside for small business. Your Sources Sought responses are the evidence that triggers it.
The Rule of Two is the engine behind most set-asides. Contracting officers document the small-business market from Sources Sought responses, SAM searches, and procurement history; two strong small-business responses can flip a requirement from full-and-open to set-aside before the RFP exists.
At the VA, the rule goes further: under “Vets First”, VA must prioritize SDVOSB/VOSB set-asides when its Rule of Two is met.
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