Request for information (RFI)
Also called: RFI
Updated
What is Request for information (RFI)?
A request for information (RFI) is a government market research request asking industry for information such as capabilities, approaches, pricing or delivery when the agency does not yet intend to award a contract. Responses are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a contract, but they can shape the final solicitation.
What an RFI is for
Under FAR 15.201(e), an RFI may be used when the government does not presently intend to award a contract but wants information for planning. It may include a draft work statement or questions about the approach, contract type or schedule, and it is usually posted on SAM.gov.
An RFI sits alongside other early exchanges, such as industry days, draft RFPs and sources sought notices. Agencies must not ask for more than they need, and responses are voluntary.
How to respond
Answer each question directly and within the page limit, and offer useful insight about how the requirement could be bought or performed. Point out ambiguities that would make proposals hard to compare. Mark proprietary information as the notice instructs. Your answers may influence the final Section C and evaluation factors, so be specific.
State and local RFIs
States, counties and cities also issue RFIs before a formal RFP, often to learn what the market offers. The same rules of thumb apply: answer what is asked, show relevant experience and avoid a sales pitch.
Treat a good RFI as the start of capture. Note the people named in the notice, any industry day it announces and the questions it asks, because those questions often preview the evaluation factors of the final RFP. Track the expected release date so the team is ready when the solicitation arrives.
Request for information (RFI) in ProposalWorkspace
ProposalWorkspace lists RFIs from SAM.gov and state and local sources in one search, and its pre-award lifecycle tracks an RFI response from analysis to submission record and check-ins, then promotes it to the final RFP when one is released.
Request for information (RFI): questions and answers
Is an RFI a solicitation?
No. An RFI is market research. Responses are not offers, and the government cannot award a contract from them (FAR 15.201(e)).
Should a small business answer RFIs?
Often yes, when the work fits. An RFI response gets your company in front of the buyer early and can shape how the requirement and evaluation are written.
ProposalWorkspaceReady when the next RFP drops.
Set up in minutes
Plans from $99 a month, billed yearly. Subscribe today or book a demo with our team.