Past performance is one of the most important evaluation factors in government contracting because it gives agencies insight into how likely a contractor is to successfully perform the work being solicited. While the technical volume of a proposal response explains what your company plans to do, past performance shows what you’ve already done. The clearer you make that connection, the easier it is for reviewers to see how your experience directly connects to the government’s requirement and reduces the perceived risk of award.
Your goal isn’t just to list previous contracts. It’s to choose the right examples and tell the story in a way that lines up with the solicitation requirements, evaluation criteria, and what the agency cares about most. In this blog, we’ll cover how you can optimize your past performance so your next Request for Proposal (RFP) response is even stronger.
The two key elements of past performance are relevancy and currency. We’ll dive into each of these below.
Relevancy is simply how closely your prior work aligns with the solicitation. Reviewers are looking for similarities like:
Your strongest references are the ones that mirror the requirement as closely as possible. For example, if the solicitation is for IT support across multiple locations nationwide, a small help desk contract for one office may not land as strongly as a larger, multi-site support effort.
When you write your past performance narratives, avoid generic summaries. Instead, make a connection between prior work and the solicitation by using language from the Statement of Work (SOW). That way, reviewers don’t have to hunt for alignment; they can see it right away.
Most Request for Proposal (RFPs) specify a timeframe for acceptable past performance references, usually within the last 3–5 years. Even if a project is highly relevant, it may not count if it falls outside the stated window.
When you can, lead with:
Every solicitation lays out the factors of evaluation, which is typically outlined in Section M. If you understand how the agency plans to score past performance, you can shape your past performance volume to match what reviewers are looking for.
Since evaluation approaches vary, take a close look at Section M (or the section titled “Evaluation Factors”) of the solicitation to confirm:
One important note: if you’re a newer company without relevant past performance, you are not excluded from competing for a contract, but you may receive a neutral rating under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.305(a)(2)(iv).
A neutral rating keeps the government from penalizing a new company, but it also means you’re not getting the advantage that strong past performance can provide. To build credibility, look for ways to strengthen your past performance narrative through:
Some RFPs will ask for Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) or Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) ratings as part of the past performance review.
PPQs usually come straight from your previous customers. They cover things like quality, schedule, communication, and overall satisfaction. Reach out to your references early so they have time to respond—and so what they submit lines up with the story you’re telling in your narrative.
If you have previous government experience, CPARS ratings can be one of the most influential inputs for federal contracts. Strong ratings can strengthen your proposal fast; weak ratings can raise red flags just as quickly.
Consistency matters; if your narrative claims exceptional performance but CPARS shows marginal or inconsistent ratings, reviewers will notice right away. If you’ve had setbacks, use this to explain the corrective actions you took and how your company improved. This demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to customer concerns.
Think of each past performance write-up as a short story with a point. Reviewers should be able to answer these questions quickly:
When you decide which past contracts to feature, aim for the closest match in both relevancy and recency.
Sometimes, no single example is a perfect match. In that case, you can pair a few references to show full coverage, but be intentional and explain the connection. You want reviewers to follow your logic without having to piece it together.
Also, think about the order in which you present your references. Start with your strongest, most relevant example. First impressions matter, especially when reviewers are working through dozens of proposals on tight deadlines.
If you treat past performance as a strategy, your volume can do a lot of heavy lifting – showing credibility, lowering perceived risk, and reinforcing that your company can deliver what the agency needs.
Want a few more quick tips on understanding and responding to government solicitations? Here are a few of our blogs:
Looking proposal support or interested in learning more about selling to the government? Reach out to our team, we’re happy to talk through what you’re working on and how we can help.