The SF330 (Architect-Engineer Qualifications) is the standard form U.S. federal agencies use to evaluate and select architecture and engineering firms. Because the Brooks Act bars price from the initial selection, the SF330 is the competition: an evaluation board scores it against published criteria and shortlists the most qualified firms before any fee is discussed. It is maintained by GSA under OMB Control Number 9000-0157 and implemented through FAR Part 36.
The two parts of an SF330
- Part I - Contract-Specific Qualifications: the proposed team for one solicitation, covering Sections A through I - contract info, point of contact, participating firms, an organizational chart, key-personnel resumes (Section E), example projects (Section F), the personnel-to-project matrix (Section G), a narrative (Section H), and an authorized signature (Section I).
- Part II - General Qualifications: a reusable firm-level record of ownership, size, disciplines, and recent experience - submitted per firm and per branch office with a key role, and kept current (agencies encourage annual updates).
Part I, section by section
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| A | Contract information - title, location, and announcement details. |
| B | Architect-engineer point of contact for this submission. |
| C | Proposed team - the prime and each participating (sub) firm and its role. |
| D | Organizational chart showing how the proposed team is structured. |
| E | Resumes of key personnel - up to five relevant projects per person (block 19). |
| F | Example projects - typically up to 10 - that best illustrate the team's relevant experience. |
| G | Matrix cross-referencing which key personnel (Section E) worked on which projects (Section F). |
| H | Additional information - the narrative addressing criteria the standard sections do not cover. |
| I | Authorized representative's signature certifying the submission. |
For a deeper walkthrough of how each section is scored, see SF330 sections explained.
When the SF330 is required
Federal agencies require the SF330 for A-E services procured under Qualifications-Based Selection, and agencies publicly announce their A-E requirements under FAR 36.601-1. Many state and local agencies that follow 'mini-Brooks' laws either require the SF330 or accept an SF330-style package. The exact sections evaluated, page limits, and any supplemental requirements are defined in the individual solicitation - and those instructions always control.
SF330 vs. SF254 and SF255
The SF330 consolidated and replaced two older forms - the SF254 (a general qualifications questionnaire) and the SF255 (a project-specific questionnaire) - effective June 8, 2004. Today, Part II corresponds to the old SF254 role and Part I corresponds to the old SF255. The SF254 and SF255 are obsolete, though older solicitations and templates sometimes still reference them.
SF330 vs. an SOQ
An SOQ is the general term for a qualifications package used across public and private solicitations, with a format the firm controls. An SF330 is a specific, standardized federal form. All SF330s are qualifications statements, but not every SOQ is an SF330 - use whichever the solicitation names.
Preparing an SF330 with Flodoc
The hardest parts of an SF330 are choosing the right example projects for Section F and the right people for Section E, and showing the direct connection between them for each evaluation criterion. Flodoc matches your firm's staff and past projects to the solicitation's requirements, so you assemble a form that maps experience to criteria - built in Flodoc's editor to the exact layout you need.
Good to know
Flodoc helps you build SF330-style qualification documents and surface the right people and projects for each section. It does not auto-populate the official federal SF330 PDF form fields.