Glossary / Solicitations
Request for ProposalRFP
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 to your pipeline
RFPs are the usual 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 can beat much larger competitors.
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
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.
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.