TL;DR: An RFP (Request for Proposal) is how government agencies ask businesses to propose solutions to a problem. Unlike an IFB where lowest price wins, an RFP lets agencies evaluate your approach, qualifications, and price together. If you can solve the agency's problem better than others, you can win even without the cheapest bid. Browse open government RFPs on GovBid.

What an RFP actually is

A government RFP is a formal document where an agency describes a need and asks businesses to submit proposals for how they'd meet it. The agency explains what they want done, and you explain how you'd do it, what it would cost, and why you're qualified.

RFPs are used when the agency knows what outcome they want but not exactly how to get there. They want to see your approach. This is different from buying 500 office chairs (where specs are clear and price is all that matters).

RFP vs RFQ vs IFB vs RFI — what's the difference?

Type	Full Name	What It Means	How Winner Is Chosen
RFP	Request for Proposal	Agency wants a solution — propose your approach + price	Best value (approach + qualifications + price)
RFQ	Request for Quotation	Agency knows exactly what they want — send a price	Lowest price meeting specs
IFB	Invitation for Bid	Formal sealed bid — specs are rigid	Lowest responsive, responsible bidder
RFI	Request for Information	Agency is researching — not buying yet	No winner — it's market research
Sole Source	Sole Source Justification	Only one supplier can do it	Pre-determined (no competition)

The practical difference: RFPs give small businesses the best chance because you can win on quality, not just price. If you're competing against larger firms with lower overhead, an RFP lets you differentiate on expertise, past performance, and innovation.

How to read a government RFP

Every government RFP follows roughly the same structure:

Section 1 — Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS). This is the most important section. It describes exactly what the agency needs. Read it three times. If you can't do everything in the SOW, don't bid.

Section 2 — Evaluation Criteria. This tells you exactly how proposals will be scored. Common factors include technical approach (how you'll do the work), past performance (what you've done before), management approach (your team and processes), and price. The weighting matters — if technical is 60% and price is 20%, spend most of your effort on the technical volume.

Section 3 — Instructions to Offerors. Page limits, formatting requirements, submission deadlines, and required forms. Missing a single instruction can get you disqualified before anyone reads your proposal.

Section 4 — Contract Terms. The legal terms governing the contract. Standard government terms (FAR clauses for federal, or state-specific terms) plus any special conditions.

Section 5 — Attachments. Wage determinations, facility requirements, security clearance needs, and any government-furnished information.

What "best value" means

Most RFPs use "best value" evaluation, which means the agency considers multiple factors — not just price. The solicitation will state the factors and their relative importance.

Common patterns:

Technical is more important than price. The agency will pay more for a better solution. Focus your energy on the technical proposal.
All factors are equal. You need a strong proposal across the board.
Lowest price, technically acceptable (LPTA). Meet the minimum technical bar and the cheapest bid wins. This is basically an IFB in RFP clothing.

The evaluation criteria section will tell you which pattern applies. Read it carefully.

How to respond to a government RFP

Step 1: Read the entire RFP. Not just the SOW — every page. Note all deadlines, formatting requirements, and mandatory certifications.

Step 2: Decide if it's a fit. Can you actually do everything in the SOW? Do you have the past performance? Can you meet the security or clearance requirements? If not, move on.

Step 3: Attend the pre-proposal conference. Most RFPs include a Q&A session. The answers become part of the solicitation and can change the requirements.

Step 4: Write to the evaluation criteria. Mirror the language of the evaluation factors. If they say "demonstrate understanding of the technical requirements," use that exact phrase and then demonstrate it.

Step 5: Be specific. Don't say "our team has extensive experience." Say "our team completed 14 similar projects for [Agency] over the past 3 years, delivering an average of 12 days ahead of schedule." Numbers and names beat adjectives.

Step 6: Price competitively. Your price needs to be reasonable for the scope. Government agencies have independent cost estimates — pricing too high or too low raises red flags.

Step 7: Submit early. Late proposals are rejected without exception. Submit at least 24 hours before the deadline.

Where to find government RFPs

Government RFPs are posted on official procurement portals:

Federal (US): SAM.gov — all federal solicitations over $25,000
Federal (Canada): CanadaBuys — all Government of Canada solicitations
State/Provincial: Each state and province has its own portal

Or search all open government RFPs on GovBid — federal, state, provincial, and municipal in one place with plain-English summaries.

Common RFP mistakes

Not reading evaluation criteria. If technical approach is weighted 50% and you spend most of your effort on pricing, you'll lose.

Generic proposals. Reusing a proposal from another solicitation without tailoring it to this specific SOW is obvious to evaluators. They've seen hundreds of proposals.

Missing page limits. If the RFP says 25 pages for the technical volume and you submit 30, the extra 5 pages will be discarded — or your entire proposal rejected.

Ignoring the Q&A. Amendments issued after the pre-proposal conference can change requirements. If you don't review them, your proposal may not be responsive.

Bidding on everything. The biggest mistake new contractors make is responding to every RFP they see. Focus on solicitations where you genuinely have an advantage.

The bottom line

A government RFP is your opportunity to sell a solution, not just a price. The agency tells you what they need, and you show them why your approach is best. Understand the evaluation criteria, write a specific and compliant proposal, and focus on RFPs where you have real expertise.

Further reading:

How to Write a Government Proposal — step-by-step proposal writing guide
How to Bid on Your First Government Contract — 30-day action plan
SAM.gov Beginner's Guide — where to find federal RFPs
Understanding NAICS Codes — pick the right codes for RFP matching

What Is a Government RFP? A Plain English Guide

What an RFP actually is

Browse government RFPs now - free