ABSTRACT
Ray C. Rist has outlined changes in federal research funding policies. He states that the present policy of funding research through grants is being replaced by the more cost-effective contract arrangement. This chapter discusses the problems of contract research. Identifying these problems provides sane in-sights into how they can be avoided. It is necessary to briefly describe the three main components of the federal negotiated procurement process. These are: development and distribution of the solicitation document, or "Request for Proposal" (RFP), evaluation procedure, and contract award process. In September 1976, following eight months of needs assessment analysis; the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued an RFP for socioeconomic research. The research was essential for BIM land-use planning activities. In the RFP firms were advised that proposals would be judged, and contracts awarded, primarily on the basis of several technical factors. The development of a contract proposal is a major effort demanding careful coordination and comprehensive planning.
