Pre-Award Process in Government Contracting

Market Research Phase

Market research is the foundation of the entire pre-award process — for both the government and contractors. The government is required by FAR Part 10 to conduct market research to determine whether commercial items or nondevelopmental items are available, to identify small business sources, and to define requirements in a way that promotes competition.

For contractors, this is your intelligence-gathering phase. You need to answer three fundamental questions before investing in any pursuit: Does this agency actually buy what we sell? Who is the incumbent, and are they vulnerable? Can we compete on price and demonstrate relevant past performance?

Data Sources for Market Research

Effective market research takes time — plan on 2-4 weeks of focused analysis for each new target agency or contract pursuit. Bureauify consolidates data from all four federal sources into a single search, so you can complete in hours what traditionally takes weeks of manual research across multiple government databases.

Sources Sought and Requests for Information (RFI)

Sources sought notices and RFIs are the government's way of asking industry: "Can you do this work? How would you approach it? And who else can do it?" These are not solicitations — they do not result in a contract award — but they are critically important for two reasons. First, your response directly shapes the acquisition strategy. If only small businesses respond, the CO may set the procurement aside. If the responses suggest a different contract type or structure, the final RFP may change accordingly.

Second, responding to sources sought notices puts you on the CO's radar. When the solicitation drops months later, the CO already knows your company exists and has a sense of your capabilities.

What to Include in Your Response

• - Company overview, DUNS/UEI, CAGE code, size status, and socioeconomic certifications
• - Relevant experience — 3-5 contracts of similar scope, size, and complexity with government references
• - Technical approach — how you would solve the problem (keep it high-level, save details for the proposal)
• - Answers to specific questions posed in the notice
• - Teaming arrangements — identify partners if you plan to team for broader capability coverage
• - Concerns or suggestions about the draft requirements (this is your chance to influence the final solicitation)

Draft RFP Review

Some procurements include a draft RFP phase where the government releases a preliminary version of the solicitation for industry review and comment. This is one of the most valuable pre-award opportunities because you get to see exactly what the government is thinking — evaluation criteria, contract structure, period of performance, labor categories, and technical requirements — before the final solicitation is issued.

How to Review a Draft RFP Effectively

• - Map evaluation factors (Section M) against your capabilities. Can you credibly score well on each factor?
• - Analyze the SOW/PWS for scope, deliverables, and performance standards. Are they clear and achievable?
• - Review the contract type. Is the proposed type (FFP, T&M, cost-plus) appropriate for the work?
• - Identify restrictive requirements that may limit competition (specific certifications, clearance levels, geographic constraints)
• - Submit constructive comments — the government genuinely wants feedback to improve the final solicitation
• - Start your proposal outline now. Use the draft RFP structure to create storyboards and assign writing responsibilities

The delta between the draft RFP and the final solicitation can be significant. Track changes carefully — new evaluation subfactors, modified page limits, adjusted CLINs, or changed set-aside designations can all affect your pursuit strategy. Contractors who treat the draft RFP as a rehearsal for the real thing have a measurable advantage in proposal quality and response time.

Industry Days

Industry days are government-hosted events where the requiring activity and contracting team present upcoming procurement needs to potential offerors. These events typically include briefings on the program's mission, technical requirements, acquisition timeline, and small business goals. Most importantly, they often include one-on-one sessions where contractors can meet directly with government decision-makers.

Getting the Most Out of Industry Days

• - Research the program thoroughly before attending. Know the incumbent, contract value, performance issues (if any), and the program's mission
• - Prepare a 60-second elevator pitch and a 2-page capability statement tailored to this specific requirement
• - If one-on-one sessions are offered, sign up immediately — slots fill within hours of announcement
• - Ask thoughtful questions during the group session. Your questions demonstrate expertise (or lack thereof) to the entire room
• - Network with other attendees — potential teaming partners are in the room. Exchange business cards with complementary firms
• - Take detailed notes on stated priorities, pain points, and timeline — these details rarely appear in the formal solicitation

Industry days are increasingly held in hybrid or fully virtual formats, making them accessible to companies outside the D.C. metro area. Monitor SAM.gov and agency websites for announcements, which typically come 3-6 weeks before the event. Some agencies (especially DOD) host annual forecast conferences covering dozens of upcoming procurements in a single event.

Pre-Proposal Conferences

Pre-proposal conferences are held after the solicitation is issued and before proposals are due. Unlike industry days (which happen before the RFP), pre-proposal conferences address the specific solicitation. The CO typically walks through the requirements, answers preliminary questions, and may conduct a site visit if the work involves a specific location. Some solicitations make attendance mandatory — missing the conference means you cannot submit a proposal.

Mandatory vs. Optional Attendance

Pre-proposal conferences serve a dual purpose: clarifying ambiguities in the solicitation and assessing the competition. Pay attention to who attends, what questions they ask, and how the government responds. If the CO defers certain questions or says "we will address that in an amendment," that signals the solicitation may change — potentially to your advantage or disadvantage.

Questions and Amendments

The Q&A process is a formal mechanism for offerors to seek clarification on the solicitation. Questions are typically submitted in writing by a specified deadline, and the government responds to all questions via an amendment that is shared with all offerors (without identifying who asked each question). This is the last formal interaction between industry and the government before proposals are due.

Crafting Effective Questions

• - Reference the specific section, paragraph, and page number of the solicitation
• - Ask for clarification, not confirmation of your interpretation — let the government explain
• - Avoid questions that reveal your technical approach or proprietary strategy to competitors
• - If a requirement is ambiguous, ask the government to clarify intent — ambiguity in requirements leads to evaluation disputes
• - Submit questions early. Late questions may not be answered, and the government has no obligation to extend the deadline

Tracking Amendments

Amendments can change nearly anything about the solicitation — evaluation criteria, due dates, technical requirements, CLINs, or even the set-aside type. Each amendment must be acknowledged in your proposal. Missing an amendment acknowledgment can make your proposal non-responsive. Set up alerts on SAM.gov for the specific opportunity and check daily during the proposal period. Bureauify tracks amendments automatically and alerts you when changes affect opportunities in your pipeline.