FAR 52.215-3—Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 52.215-3 is a planning-purpose provision used when the Government wants information from industry but does not intend to award a contract from the response. It covers three core topics: the Government’s no-award/no-payment position, the rule that any response is information only and not a proposal, and the requirement to state the specific purpose of the request. In practice, this provision is used for market research, planning, and other pre-solicitation information gathering where the agency wants contractor input without creating an offer-and-acceptance process. It also protects the Government from implied obligations to pay for responses, except where the costs are otherwise allowable under the FAR’s bid and proposal cost rules at 31.205-18. For contractors, the provision signals that responding is voluntary and that the submission will not be treated as a binding offer or a proposal for award purposes. For contracting officers, it is a drafting tool that helps avoid confusion between market research and a true solicitation.
Key Rules
No award intended
The Government states that it does not intend to award a contract based on this request. This makes clear that the document is for planning or information-gathering purposes, not for immediate competition leading to award.
No payment obligation
The Government does not intend to pay for the information requested, except as an allowable cost under other contracts under FAR 31.205-18. Contractors generally bear their own response costs unless another contract or cost principle allows recovery.
Response is information only
Even though the document uses the words 'proposal' and 'offeror,' the response must be treated only as information. It is not a proposal and does not create the legal status or consequences of a formal offer.
Purpose must be stated
The solicitation must identify the specific planning purpose for which it is issued. The agency must fill in the blank with a clear statement of why the information is being sought.
Market research distinction
This provision helps distinguish a request for information from a solicitation for award. That distinction matters because it reduces the risk that vendors will assume the Government is seeking binding offers or that the process will lead directly to a contract.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Use the provision only when the Government is seeking information for planning purposes, not an award. Clearly state the purpose of the request, avoid language that suggests a binding solicitation, and ensure the document does not imply a promise to pay for responses.
Agency/Program Office
Define the planning need accurately and narrowly enough that vendors understand what information is being requested. Use the response data for market research, acquisition planning, or other pre-solicitation analysis rather than as a basis for award unless a separate solicitation is issued.
Contractor/Respondent
Treat the request as informational, not as a formal solicitation for award. Decide whether to respond based on business judgment, and understand that response costs are generally unreimbursed unless otherwise allowable under another contract or cost principle.
Practical Implications
Contractors should not assume a response will lead to a contract or that the Government must pay for the effort of preparing one.
Contracting officers should be careful not to mix this provision with language that looks like a true solicitation, because that can create confusion about the Government’s intent.
If a contractor incurs proposal-related costs, recovery depends on FAR 31.205-18 and any applicable contract terms, not on this provision itself.
The stated purpose matters: vague or incomplete purpose statements can undermine the usefulness of the information and create misunderstandings about the Government’s objectives.
This provision is commonly used for market research, draft requirements, and acquisition planning, so both sides should treat the exchange as preliminary and nonbinding.
Official Regulatory Text
As prescribed in 15.209 (c) , insert the following provision: Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997) (a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18 , Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. (b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. (c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of: ___________________________ [ state purpose ] . (End of provision)