There are different solicitation types. Not everything is Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA). LPTA is not usually the solicitation types for anything

There are different solicitation types. Not everything is Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA). LPTA is not usually the solicitation types for anything R&D. It's more for "commodities", like tires, or bids against things with very detailed specs, like construction/infrastructure projects. That said, it's a fair criticism that procurement specs are often poorly written, and the evaluation processes insufficiently rigorous.