What an RFP contains
- Project scope and background
- Specific requirements (often mandatory vs. scored)
- Evaluation criteria and their weights or points
- Submission format, page limits, and deadline
- Contract terms and any required forms
RFP vs. RFQ vs. ITB
An RFP evaluates approach and value, not just price. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) evaluates qualifications first. An Invitation to Bid (ITB) awards primarily on lowest responsive price for well-defined work.
Responding faster
Flodoc reads an uploaded RFP and extracts every requirement, deadline, and scoring criterion, then tracks each one from not-addressed to addressed - so nothing that costs points gets missed.
How a formal RFP is structured
Large public RFPs, especially federal ones, tend to follow a consistent structure so that proposers can find what they need. The solicitation is organized into sections, each covering a distinct part of the deal. Two of these sections carry the most weight when you write your response.
The instructions section (often labeled Section L in federal solicitations) tells you how to prepare and submit your proposal - what volumes to include, page limits, formatting rules, required forms, and the order in which to present information. The evaluation section (often labeled Section M) tells you how the agency will score what you submit - the factors that matter, their relative importance, and how technical merit is weighed against price.
Read these two sections together before writing anything. Section L defines what you are allowed to say and where, and Section M defines what actually earns points. A proposal that answers Section L perfectly but ignores the priorities in Section M can still lose. Other sections cover the scope of work, contract terms, pricing schedules, and required representations and certifications.
How proposals are evaluated
Agencies generally choose between two broad evaluation approaches, and the RFP will state which one applies. Knowing the method up front tells you where to spend your effort.
| Approach | How the winner is chosen |
|---|---|
| Best-value tradeoff | The agency weighs technical merit, past performance, and approach against price, and may pay more for a stronger proposal. A higher-priced offer can win if its advantages justify the cost. |
| Lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) | The agency sets a pass or fail bar for technical acceptability, then awards to the lowest-priced offer that clears it. Above the threshold, extra quality earns no additional credit. |
Under best-value, invest in differentiation - a clear technical approach, relevant past performance, and a well-matched team. Under LPTA, the goal is to clear every acceptability requirement cleanly and then compete on price, since polish beyond the bar does not add points.
The typical RFP process and timeline
Most competitive procurements move through a predictable sequence. The dates vary by agency and project, but the order rarely does.
- Advertisement - the agency publishes the RFP and makes the solicitation package available to interested firms.
- Questions and clarifications - proposers submit written questions during a defined window, and the agency responds so everyone works from the same information.
- Submission - proposals are due by a firm deadline, often to the minute; late submissions are typically rejected without review.
- Evaluation - a review panel scores proposals against the stated factors, sometimes with discussions or requests for revised offers.
- Award - the agency selects the winning proposer, notifies offerors, and may debrief those who were not selected.
Working backward from the submission deadline is the most reliable way to plan. Reserve time for internal review, pricing, and required forms rather than assuming the whole window is available for writing.
Amendments and the Q&A period
The RFP you first download is rarely the final version. During the question period, proposers submit written questions and the agency issues answers that apply to all competitors, which keeps the process fair and prevents any one firm from gaining a private advantage.
When answers change the requirements - a revised due date, a new form, a clarified scope, or a corrected page limit - the agency issues a formal amendment. Amendments are part of the solicitation and often must be acknowledged in your submission. Missing an amendment can mean responding to outdated instructions or having your proposal ruled non-responsive, so track every amendment and confirm you are working from the latest version.
Ask early
Submit questions well before the deadline. Answers are shared with all proposers, so a good question can clarify the requirements for your whole response - but only if the agency has time to publish an answer before proposals are due.
RFP vs. RFI
An RFP is not the same as a request for information (RFI). An RFI is a research tool: the agency uses it to gather market information, understand available capabilities, and shape a future solicitation. Responding to an RFI is usually not an offer, and there is typically no award attached to it.
An RFP, by contrast, asks for a binding, evaluated proposal that can lead directly to a contract. If you see an RFI in your pipeline, treat it as an early signal - a chance to learn about upcoming work and influence how the eventual RFP is framed - not as the competition itself.
A statement of qualifications-driven process starts with a request for qualifications, while price-led public work often runs through an invitation to bid. Knowing which document you are holding tells you what the agency actually wants back.