Request for proposal (RFP)

Federal RFPs are used for negotiated acquisitions under FAR Part 15 (FAR 15.203). Most follow the uniform contract format: the work is in Section C, the instructions in Section L and the evaluation factors in Section M, with clauses, attachments and forms around them.

Unlike sealed bidding, a negotiated procurement can weigh factors other than price and can include discussions with offerors in the competitive range.

After release, teams decide whether to bid, shred the RFP into a compliance matrix, build an annotated outline, write, review in color teams and submit by the deadline. Questions go to the contracting officer during the questions and answers period, and changes arrive as amendments.

State, county, city and school district RFPs follow state procurement codes and local rules instead of the FAR. There is no single format: each RFP sets its own instructions, evaluation criteria (often with points), submission method and protest process, so read each one on its own terms.

Many federal RFPs are preceded by a draft RFP, an RFI or an industry day, and companies that took part are often better prepared when the final RFP arrives. Response windows can be short, so the first days after release usually go to the bid decision, the shred and the outline.