Glossary / Solicitations
Invitation for BidsIFB
An Invitation for Bids (IFB) is a solicitation used under sealed bidding procedures (FAR Part 14). Bids are submitted by a deadline, publicly opened, and the contract is awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder with the lowest price. No negotiations occur. IFBs are appropriate only when the requirement is clear, specifications are complete, award can be based on price alone, and adequate competition is expected. They are now relatively rare, since most larger federal buys use negotiated procedures (FAR Part 15, RFPs).
Why it matters to your pipeline
When an agency chooses IFB over RFP, it's signaling that it values speed and simplicity over flexibility. For bidders, the calculus is pure: price aggressively within your cost floor. There's no opportunity to differentiate on technical approach. IFBs are most common on commodity, construction, and straightforward commercial-item buys. Misreading an IFB as an RFP is a common early-career mistake that leads to over-investing in technical volumes that don't exist.
When this term shows up in an opening GovSmith finds for you, your vCM explains what it means for that pursuit and does whatever it calls for. You decide; we do the work.
Example
An agency issues an IFB for 250 ruggedized laptops. Eight firms submit bids by the public opening. The lowest responsive bidder, at $487K, receives the award once the contracting officer confirms it is responsible; there is no technical evaluation and no discussions.
Find out what applies to you
Some terms will matter to your business right away and some won’t for years. A vCM can tell you which are which.