Your first government proposal (and even your fifth) can be intimidating. Not every Request for Proposal (RFP) is the same, and it can take a while to review every section and identify what you need to work on first, especially if the proposal is several pages long. Before you can write a compelling response, you need to know how to navigate the solicitation itself.
While every solicitation is different, most government RFPs follow a similar structure. In this blog, we'll break down the most common sections of a government RFP and where to start, so you’re more confident reviewing and vetting the influx of RFPs released during Q4.
Before diving into each section, it's important to understand that experienced proposal teams rarely read an RFP like a book from beginning to end. Instead, they perform an initial “bid/no-bid” assessment. The purpose of this review is to determine whether you meet all the requirements of the solicitation, and the opportunity makes sense for your company.
The main sections you should start with reviewing are:
Not all solicitations will label with a letter like “L” or “M”, but they will generally be called by a similar title to the sections above. Reading these sections first will save your team time, and once you decided you want to go after the opportunity, you can begin reviewing the remainder of the document. We’ll outline each section in more detail below.
Section A serves as the cover page of the solicitation and although it’s not the section we recommend you start with, it includes important information about your offer submission:
This section typically includes:
Although it may be tempting to skim this section, it contains critical information that can affect proposal compliance. Missing a submission requirement or deadline can result in a proposal being rejected before the Contracting Officer evaluates it.
Section B outlines what the government intends to purchase and how pricing should be structured.
This section often includes:
Contractors should pay close attention to pricing requirements and contract structure.
Section C is often considered the heart of the solicitation. This section outlines exactly what the government expects the contractor to deliver and typically contains the technical requirements. This is why it’s important you read this one early on in your proposal review because if your company can’t meet the requirements, then you will need to pass up the opportunity or partner with someone who can fill in the gaps.
Documents commonly found in Section C include:
One common mistake is reading Section C in isolation. Experienced proposal teams and contractors typically review Section C alongside Sections L and M. This helps ensure that contractors not only understand the requirements but also understand how those requirements will be evaluated.
For product-based responses, Section D outlines packaging, labeling, and marking requirements.
These requirements help ensure:
This section describes the inspection and acceptance obligations for the goods and services being purchased by the government. This section is important because it determines the terms and conditions (T&Cs) for inspection and acceptance. This section establishes:
Understanding these requirements helps contractors maintain compliance not only in your offer response, but throughout the contract if you win the award.
Section F defines delivery schedules, performance timelines, and important project milestones. Contractors should review this section carefully because it often impacts:
This section defines the responsibilities of the contractor and the government agency after contract award. Examples of roles established in this section are who will be responsible for administering the contract, how disputes will be managed, and how modifications to the contract will be managed.
This section may also cover:
While this section isn’t weighted as heavily in the offer response, it’s important you understand what the post-award process will look like so your team is prepared for the lift.
Section H is just like the name sounds—it contains unique requirements that may not appear elsewhere in the solicitation.
These requirements may include:
Since these requirements are often contract-specific, contractors should review this section carefully to identify any additional obligations.
Section J contains supporting documents referenced throughout the solicitation.
These attachments may include:
You may need to use several templates in your response, so be sure to review section J before you begin. This section is also one to watch out for when there’s an amendment to the solicitation. The templates will often be adjusted and you should make sure you’re working off the latest ones.
Section K contains certifications and representations that contractors must complete as part of their proposal. These certifications help the government verify compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and procurement requirements.
This section may address topics such as:
It’s important not to let your eyes glaze over in this section. You may need to check certain boxes and your proposal will not be complete without it.
Like we suggested in in the beginning of this blog, many proposal teams start with Section L because it establishes the rules for the entire response. Before writing a single page, contractors need to understand how many proposal volumes are required, whether there are page limitations, what attachments must be included, and how the proposal should be organized.
It often includes:
Many proposals are downgraded or even eliminated because contractors fail to follow Section L instructions.
Section M is often considered one of the most important sections of an RFP because it explains exactly how the government will evaluate competing proposals. If technical capability is weighed more heavily than price, your proposal should reflect that. If past performance carries significant weight, you'll want to highlight relevant project experience throughout your response.
This section often includes evaluation factors such as:
Understanding Section M allows contractors to focus their efforts on the areas that matter most to evaluators. Many proposal professionals and contractors review Sections L and M before beginning proposal development because these sections establish both the rules and the scoring criteria.
Understanding the solicitation is only the first step. The next challenge is developing a proposal that clearly addresses the government's requirements, evaluation criteria, and objectives. If you need assistance navigating an RFP, or are interested in selling to the government, we would be happy to help you go in the right direction.