In the event of unreadable proposal submissions, what action must be taken by the Contracting Officer?

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The most appropriate action for the Contracting Officer in the event of unreadable proposal submissions is to request a re-submission of just the unreadable part. This approach aligns with the principles of fairness and transparency in the procurement process. By allowing the offeror to clarify or provide the necessary information, it ensures that all offerors have a fair opportunity to compete and that their proposals can be accurately evaluated.

This practice is crucial because it helps maintain the integrity of the bidding process. It also shows a commitment to due diligence and thoroughness, which are essential virtues in public contracting. Each proposal should be evaluated based on its merits, and if parts are unreadable, requesting clarification allows the Contracting Officer to make informed decisions without prematurely disqualifying an otherwise potentially valuable proposal.

Additionally, returning the proposal to the offeror could unnecessarily eliminate the opportunity for clarification. Automatically disqualifying the offer would be too harsh and could lead to the loss of high-quality submissions due to issues beyond the offeror's control, such as transmission errors. Extending the proposal submission deadline is not a suitable action in this context, as it does not address the issue of unreadable content directly and does not guarantee clarity in the proposals being submitted.