§ 2–361.02. Payment of stipends authorized.

(a) The contracting officer may pay a stipend to cover a portion of bid or proposal development costs to an unsuccessful responsible offeror that submits a responsive proposal to a solicitation to generate meaningful competition and to ensure that small businesses are not competitively disadvantaged.

(b) The contracting officer shall determine the number and amount of the stipends, if any.

(c) In consideration for paying the stipend fee, the District may use any ideas or information contained in the proposals in connection with any contract awarded for the project, or in connection with a subsequent procurement, without any obligation to pay any additional compensation to the unsuccessful offerors.

(d)(1) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, an unsuccessful offeror may elect to waive the stipend.

(2) If an unsuccessful offeror elects to waive the stipend, the District shall not use ideas and information contained in the offeror’s proposal; provided, that this restriction shall not prevent the District from using any idea or information if the idea or information is also included in a proposal of an offeror that accepts the stipend.