FAR 15.203—Requests for proposals.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 15.203 explains how contracting officers use requests for proposals (RFPs) in negotiated acquisitions to communicate the Government’s needs and obtain proposals from prospective contractors. It covers the minimum content of competitive RFPs, including the Government’s requirement, anticipated contract terms and conditions, required proposal information, and evaluation factors and significant subfactors with their relative importance. It also addresses special situations and methods for issuing or receiving RFPs, including RFPs used for OMB Circular A-76 studies, electronic commerce, facsimile transmission, letter RFPs, and oral RFPs. In practice, this section is about making sure the solicitation is clear enough for offerors to compete intelligently, while also giving contracting officers flexibility in urgent, sole-source, or otherwise special acquisition circumstances. It matters because the way an RFP is issued affects competition, proposal quality, evaluation defensibility, and the administrative record supporting the award decision.
Key Rules
RFPs in negotiated acquisitions
RFPs are the solicitation vehicle used in negotiated acquisitions to tell prospective contractors what the Government needs and to invite proposals. They are the foundation for competition and must be structured so offerors understand both the requirement and how proposals will be evaluated.
Minimum content for competitive RFPs
A competitive RFP must, at a minimum, describe the Government’s requirement, the anticipated contract terms and conditions, the information offerors must include in their proposals, and the evaluation factors and significant subfactors with their relative importance. This ensures offerors can prepare responsive proposals and the Government can evaluate them consistently.
Alternative terms and line items
An RFP may allow offerors to propose alternative terms and conditions, and it may permit additional proposals with alternative line items when authorized by the applicable solicitation provisions. If alternative line items are allowed, the evaluation approach should account for their effect on other terms and conditions or on the requirement itself, such as place of performance or payment and funding requirements.
A-76 study use
An RFP may be issued for OMB Circular A-76 studies. When used in that context, the contracting activity must also follow the rules governing cost comparisons between Government and contractor performance in FAR subpart 7.3.
Electronic commerce
RFPs and proposal submissions, including modifications and revisions, may be handled electronically. If electronic commerce is used, the RFP must specify the electronic commerce method or methods offerors may use so they know how to submit properly.
Facsimile submissions
Contracting officers may issue RFPs and/or authorize receipt of proposals, modifications, or revisions by facsimile. Before doing so, they should consider proposal size and volume, urgency, availability and suitability of electronic methods, and whether administrative controls are adequate to receive, identify, record, safeguard, and timely deliver faxed submissions.
Original signed proposal may be required
If facsimile proposals are authorized, the contracting officer may later request the offeror to provide the complete original signed proposal. This helps preserve the integrity of the record and confirm the submission when needed.
Letter RFPs
Letter RFPs may be used in sole-source acquisitions and other appropriate circumstances, but they do not waive any other FAR requirements. They should be as complete as possible and include core solicitation information such as the RFP number and date, contracting officer contact information, contract type, quantity and delivery requirements, certifications and representations, anticipated terms and conditions, instructions and evaluation criteria for non-sole-source actions, due date and time, and other relevant information.
Oral RFPs
Oral RFPs are authorized only when a written solicitation would delay the acquisition to the Government’s detriment and no notice is required under FAR 5.202, such as for perishables or emergency/contingency support. Oral solicitations do not excuse compliance with other FAR requirements and must be documented in the contract file.
Documentation for oral solicitations
The contract file for an oral solicitation must include a description of the requirement, the rationale for using an oral solicitation, the sources solicited with date, time, contact name, and prices offered, and the solicitation number given to prospective offerors. The information provided orally should also include appropriate items from the letter RFP content list.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Prepare and issue the RFP in a way that clearly states the Government’s requirement, contract terms, proposal instructions, and evaluation criteria. Decide whether to use electronic commerce, facsimile, letter RFPs, or oral RFPs based on the acquisition circumstances, and ensure the chosen method is properly documented and consistent with other FAR requirements.
Contracting Officer
If alternative terms, alternative line items, facsimile submissions, or oral solicitations are allowed, establish procedures and evaluation approaches that protect the integrity of the competition and the administrative record. For oral solicitations, document the file with the required details and provide the necessary information to offerors.
Offerors/Prospective Contractors
Review the RFP instructions, terms, and evaluation criteria carefully and submit proposals in the format, method, and by the deadline specified. When alternative terms or line items are permitted, ensure the proposal clearly addresses any variations and their implications.
Agency/Contracting Activity
Provide the systems, controls, and procedures needed to issue and receive RFPs and proposals electronically or by facsimile, and maintain records that support timely, secure, and traceable handling of submissions. Ensure personnel understand when oral or letter RFPs are appropriate and how to document them.
Evaluation Team/Source Selection Personnel
Apply the stated evaluation factors and significant subfactors consistently and in accordance with their relative importance. When alternative line items or alternative terms are permitted, assess their impact on the requirement and related contract terms before making an award recommendation.
Practical Implications
This section is a checklist for solicitation quality: if the RFP is vague about the requirement, terms, proposal content, or evaluation criteria, the competition can become unfair or the award vulnerable to protest.
When allowing alternative line items or alternative terms, the contracting officer must think beyond price and consider knock-on effects such as delivery location, payment terms, and funding requirements.
Electronic and fax submissions can speed procurement, but only if the solicitation clearly states the allowed method and the agency has reliable procedures to receive and safeguard submissions.
Letter and oral RFPs are exceptions, not shortcuts; they still require enough detail to support competition or a defensible sole-source action and must not be used to bypass other FAR rules.
Oral solicitations are especially risky from a documentation standpoint, so the file must capture who was contacted, when, what was requested, and what prices were offered to preserve auditability and protest defense.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Requests for proposals (RFPs) are used in negotiated acquisitions to communicate Government requirements to prospective contractors and to solicit proposals. RFPs for competitive acquisitions shall, at a minimum, describe the- (1) Government’s requirement; (2) Anticipated terms and conditions that will apply to the contract. The solicitation may authorize offerors to propose alternative terms and conditions. If the solicitation permits offerors to submit one or more additional proposals with alternative line items (see 52.204-22 or 52.212-1 (e)), the evaluation approach should consider the potential impact of the alternative line items on other terms and conditions or the requirement ( e.g. , place of performance or payment and funding requirements) (see 15.206 ); (3) Information required to be in the offeror’s proposal; and (4) Factors and significant subfactors that will be used to evaluate the proposal and their relative importance. (b) An RFP may be issued for OMB CircularA-76 studies. See subpart 7.3 for additional information regarding cost comparisons between Government and contractor performance. (c) Electronic commerce may be used to issue RFPs and to receive proposals, modifications, and revisions. In this case, the RFP shall specify the electronic commerce method(s) that offerors may use (see subpart 4.5 ). (d) Contracting officers may issue RFPs and/or authorize receipt of proposals, modifications, or revisions by facsimile. (1) In deciding whether or not to use facsimiles, the contracting officer should consider factors such as- (i) Anticipated proposal size and volume; (ii) Urgency of the requirement; (iii) Availability and suitability of electronic commerce methods; and (iv) Adequacy of administrative procedures and controls for receiving, identifying, recording, and safeguarding facsimile proposals, and ensuring their timely delivery to the designated proposal delivery location. (2) If facsimile proposals are authorized, contracting officers may request offeror(s) to provide the complete, original signed proposal at a later date. (e) Letter RFPs may be used in sole source acquisitions and other appropriate circumstances. Use of a letter RFP does not relieve the contracting officer from complying with other FAR requirements. Letter RFPs should be as complete as possible and, at a minimum, should contain the following: (1) RFP number and date; (2) Name, address (including electronic address and facsimile address, if appropriate), and telephone number of the contracting officer; (3) Type of contract contemplated; (4) Quantity, description, and required delivery dates for the item; (5) Applicable certifications and representations; (6) Anticipated contract terms and conditions; (7) Instructions to offerors and evaluation criteria for other than sole source actions; (8) Proposal due date and time; and (9) Other relevant information; e.g., incentives, variations in delivery schedule, cost proposal support, and data requirements. (f) Oral RFPs are authorized when processing a written solicitation would delay the acquisition of supplies or services to the detriment of the Government and a notice is not required under 5.202 ( e.g., perishable items and support of contingency operations or other emergency situations). Use of an oral RFP does not relieve the contracting officer from complying with other FAR requirements. (1) The contract files supporting oral solicitations should include- (i) A description of the requirement; (ii) Rationale for use of an oral solicitation; (iii) Sources solicited, including the date, time, name of individuals contacted, and prices offered; and (iv) The solicitation number provided to the prospective offerors. (2) The information furnished to potential offerors under oral solicitations should include appropriate items from paragraph (e) of this section.