# 801.602-77 Processing solicitations and contract documents for legal or technical review - general.

(a) Under 801.602-70 through 801.602-76, before taking contract action, a contracting officer must ensure that any required legal or technical review or concurrence is complete. Contracting officers shall not award or sign contracts, task or delivery orders, blanket purchase agreements, or contract modifications prior to receipt of the final legal and technical review. Should the contracting officer disagree with the advice provided, the contracting officer shall document in the contract file the reasons therefore and provide a copy of that document to the reviewing Office of Acquisition and Materiel Management office. The contracting officer must fully implement any accepted review comments as follows:

(1) Before opening the bid or proposal for a competitively awarded contract.

(2) Before executing contract documents for a contract modification or noncompetitive contract award.

(b) The contracting officer must advise potential bidders or offerors of changes made to the solicitation by issuing an amendment. The contracting officer must give bidders and offerors sufficient time for evaluation before the bid or proposal opens.