Request for Proposal (RFP)

Definition

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a negotiated-procurement solicitation under FAR Part 15 used when the award decision involves non-price evaluation factors (technical approach, past performance, management) and the contracting officer may hold discussions with offerors. RFPs typically include Sections A–M in the Uniform Contract Format. Section L tells offerors how to prepare the proposal; Section M tells them how the proposal will be evaluated. Award can be by best-value trade-off or LPTA.

Why It Matters

RFPs are the gold-standard solicitation format for complex requirements. Winning under Section M requires disciplined proposal management: compliance matrices mapped to L and M, content that addresses every factor in the order Section M scores, and a trade-off narrative (when applicable) that shows evaluators why your higher price buys disproportionate value. Small capture and proposal teams that master RFP response at task-order or prime-contract scale outperform much larger but less-focused competitors.

Example

A 30-person engineering firm responds to a $22M RFP with a 45-page technical volume aligned exactly to Section L's outline. Its color-coded compliance matrix demonstrates every Section M factor is addressed. It wins on best-value trade-off against a larger, lower-priced incumbent.

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