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Find work you can actually deliver · Guide 06 of 13

Understand an opportunity

Find the work, the rules and the real deadline.

About 4 minutesFederal terminology · Local wording may differLook up a term

What you’ll leave with

A short requirements list before you start writing.

The essentials

First, work out what the buyer is asking for now.

A Sources Sought notice or request for information (RFI) commonly supports market research. It is not the same as a solicitation for an award. A request for quotations (RFQ), request for proposals (RFP) or invitation for bids (IFB) has its own response process. Read the notice, not just the label.

The listing summary is only the starting point.

Open the official notice, attachments and amendments. Find four things: the work, the conditions you must meet, how the buyer will choose, and how to submit. A Bid Rigor match is a lead for review, not a determination that your company qualifies.

Separate facts from questions.

Record the exact section behind each requirement. If a condition is unclear, write a specific question and use the designated contact and deadline. For federal negotiated procurements, an RFI response is not an offer that can form a binding contract.

What to do next

  1. 1

    Save a working set.

    Keep the notice identifier, official link, all relevant files and the date checked. Look for later amendments before relying on an earlier download.

  2. 2

    Write down what could rule this job out.

    List location, schedule, required experience, eligibility, licenses or security conditions, response format, evaluation factors and deadlines with time zones. Mark missing information as unknown.

  3. 3

    Turn requirements into a response map.

    For each item, record where it appears, your evidence, who owns the response and the proposed response section. Ask questions before spending hours on an uncertain assumption.

Worked example · Fictional business

“Training materials” turns out to include teaching the class

A fictional design firm sees a notice containing the phrase “training materials.” Its team produces excellent job aids, so the owner initially marks it as a strong match.

Read past the title.

The work statement also requires two on-site supervisor workshops. The submission instructions ask for two comparable workshop examples and a separate price file. The graphics are only part of the purchase.

Write down the gap.

The firm has design examples but has not delivered workshops itself. It checks what experience the solicitation allows and whether a qualified teammate could support an acceptable response.

Ask a question that can be answered.

If unclear, the firm cites the experience section and asks whether proposed subcontractor workshop experience may satisfy that criterion. “Can we bid?” would leave the buyer to guess which requirement is causing the problem.

The practical move: Review scope, required proof, evaluation, and submission as one package. If the delivery or experience gap cannot be addressed, pass before drafting the design portion.

Fictional example · Not an active opportunityReading a training-services noticeA teaching excerpt, not a complete solicitation or official form.
1The work
Design training materials and deliver two on-site supervisor workshops.
Your moveCheck the whole scope. Design experience alone does not cover workshop delivery.
2Location & timing
Riverbend office. Workshops within 60 days after award.
Your moveConfirm travel, staffing and availability before proposing a schedule.
3Evidence
Provide two examples of comparable workshop delivery.
Your moveUse actual projects. Check the full instructions for what counts as comparable.
4Evaluation
Relevant experience, delivery approach and price.
Your moveExplain how you will deliver, then support it with evidence. Read the full weighting and evaluation method.
5Response rules
Proposal limited to six pages; separate price file required.
Your moveCheck which pages count and use the required file structure.
6Deadlines
Questions: Oct 5, 2026, 2 p.m. ET. Proposals: Oct 12, 2026, 2 p.m. ET.
Your moveKeep both dates and the time zone. Check amendments for changes before submitting.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Treating a Sources Sought response as a bid for an existing contract.
  • Reading the main page but missing the attachment that contains the submission rules.
  • Assuming the displayed deadline is in your local time zone.

One useful next step

Open one real notice and fill in the requirements matrix. Leave a question wherever the source is unclear.

Get the requirements matrix

Official sources & further help

Reviewed September 9, 2026. Practical examples and worksheets are Bid Rigor’s own. Check current requirements with the buyer; agency-specific rules or deviations may apply.