With respect to the Federal Supply Schedules, discuss your perspective for consideration of “fair and reasonable” pricing prior to any negotiations actually taking place? If so, should contracting officers even negotiate these prices? Why or why not?
Expert Answer
Negotiation can be understood as the process through which various parties tries to create a mutual agreement which is satisfactory to all on a matter which is common for all the parties. In the negotiation process, obtaining he mutual satisfactory results are quite significant it is because despite having the opposing interest, the parties will be having some kinds of dependencies over each other.
The art of negotiation is quite important in the government set up as various supplies and services are to be obtained from the varied club of suppliers and service providers at fair and reasonable prices. During these kinds of transactional process, it is quite important to understand the various elements of costing which is proposed by various suppliers. The fair and reasonable prices are those prices at which either of the parties are in advantages. The negotiators should apply his judgment while deciding this price. The least price is not always a fair and reasonable prices as it can lead to the poor quality of the work or product to be supplies..
The contracting office must determine the fair and reasonable prices before going for any kind of negotiation as it will provide him the ground on which he can negotiate and evaluate the proposals of various suppliers. If the offerings are at par or below this price , then the negotiation become focused primarily on other terms than the prices. The contracting office can be involved in negotiating the prices for finding out the good deals which can be obtained from the negotiations with various suppliers. The money saved in this process can be utilized in some other welfare activities.