Federal glossary · Process
A Partial Set-Aside (FAR 19.502-3) reserves a portion of an acquisition for small businesses while allowing other-than-small businesses to compete for the unreserved portion. Enables small business participation on large requirements that no single small business could fully perform.
Example: Respond to an RFI, RFP, or Sources Sought notice.
Reference record · Sources: Federal Acquisition Regulation · Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Covers definition, governing source
Also known as
A Partial Set-Aside (FAR 19.502-3) reserves a portion of an acquisition for small businesses while allowing other-than-small businesses to compete for the unreserved portion. Enables small business participation on large requirements that no single small business could fully perform.
is a process concept federal contractors and grant writers run into across solicitations, regulations, and award filings
Partial Set-Aside is a step or workflow in the federal-procurement lifecycle. For example: Example: Respond to an RFI, RFP, or Sources Sought notice. Knowing where Partial Set-Aside fits in the larger acquisition arc — from market research through award through performance — helps contractors time their engagement, identify the right contracting officials, and avoid showing up too late to influence the requirement. Many proposal failures trace back to misunderstanding when Partial Set-Aside occurs, who owns it, and what artifacts it produces. The related terms above name the adjacent process steps that most commonly precede or follow Partial Set-Aside, and tracking those transitions over time is one of the more reliable ways to build pipeline visibility ahead of formal solicitations.
Example: Respond to an RFI, RFP, or Sources Sought notice.
Meaning in practice
Partial Set-Aside is a step in a government workflow or procurement lifecycle.
Where you’ll see it
You will see it in NOFOs, solicitations, evaluation sections, award letters, and procedural instructions. Example: Example: Respond to an RFI, RFP, or Sources Sought notice..
Common confusion
People often confuse the document that describes the process with the process itself.
What to do next
Identify the deadline, owner, and artifacts the process produces before you move forward.
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