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Decide, price, and respond · Guide 08 of 13

Answer a Sources Sought notice

Show the buyer what you can do while the requirement is still being researched.

About 4 minutesFederal market researchLook up a term

What you’ll leave with

A short, relevant capability response that answers the actual questions.

The essentials

The buyer may still be figuring out the purchase.

Sources Sought notices and requests for information, or RFIs, commonly help buyers learn who can do the work and what the market can provide. Read the notice to understand what stage it represents. Under FAR 15.201, an RFI response is not an offer that the government can accept to form a binding contract.

A brochure is useful only if it answers the questions.

If the buyer asks about equipment, staffing, comparable projects, and response times, cover those subjects directly. A capability statement can support the answer when allowed. Sending it alone may leave most of the questions unanswered.

Give the buyer usable limits as well as strengths.

Say where you operate, what you can service, and what information you would need before making a firm commitment. If a planning estimate is requested, explain its assumptions. If pricing is not requested, do not turn the response into an unsolicited price proposal.

What to do next

  1. 1

    Copy the questions into a working outline.

    Keep their order and note the page limit, deadline, and delivery instructions. Mark which questions need help from your operations lead or a proposed teammate.

  2. 2

    Answer with things you can prove.

    Use a relevant completed job, actual technician capacity, service area, equipment knowledge, and truthful business status. Distinguish a partner you have spoken with from one that has committed to the work.

  3. 3

    Point out a material unknown.

    Ask a focused planning question when the notice permits it. For maintenance work, missing equipment models or access hours can be more useful feedback than saying the scope is unclear.

  4. 4

    Watch for the next notice.

    Retain the response and follow the official updates. A later solicitation needs a fresh decision and a separate response. Your earlier submission is not automatically entered as a bid.

Worked example · Fictional business

An HVAC firm answers what the buyer actually needs to know

Northline HVAC is a fictional four-technician business. A Sources Sought notice asks about preventive maintenance at several facilities and possible emergency coverage.

Replace the sales opening with useful facts.

Instead of ‘We deliver exceptional solutions,’ Northline describes the equipment types it services, its normal service area, and two comparable maintenance jobs. It answers each requested capability question in order.

Be precise about availability.

The company can support the proposed routine visits. It cannot promise the suggested emergency response time at the farthest building with its current staffing, so it explains that limit rather than inventing a second crew.

Ask a question that improves the requirement.

The equipment list lacks model information. Northline explains why that affects parts planning and technician coverage, and asks whether a more detailed inventory will be available.

The practical move: A clear account of your real capacity is more useful than a broad promise. The response may inform the buyer’s planning; it does not guarantee an invitation or award.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming an RFI that asks about pricing has become a solicitation.
  • Claiming pending certifications as approved.
  • Spending days writing a full proposal when the notice asks for a short capability response.

One useful next step

Choose one relevant market-research notice and outline an answer to every question before attaching a brochure.

Get the capability statement

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.