VA Open Source Award Based on "Best Value"

Roger Baker, the Veterans Affairs Department chief information officer, said the department awarded its key open source software contract to The Informatics Applications Group based on "best value" criteria as defined in the solicitation.

The solicitation language said the award would be based "on the best overall (i.e. best value) proposal that is determined to be the most beneficial to the Government." Evaluation factors, Baker said, included technical aspects, price, past performance and veteran involvement. Baker added the fact that The Informatics Applications Group is a small, woman-owned business played no role in the award.