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What does a debrief mean in government contracting, and how do I request one that is actually useful?

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  • Jordan, a postaward debriefing can tell you whether your price was too high, but not how it compared to other specific offerors.
  • The contracting officer will share the awardee's total price, but not the prices of other unsuccessful offerors (FAR 15.506(d)(2)(iv)).
  • You should also receive the government's overall evaluation of your proposal, including strengths and weaknesses, and the overall ranki
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We got an unsuccessful offeror letter this morning for the grounds maintenance contract at the federal courthouse, NAICS 561730. We spent three weeks putting together a proposal for this, our first one over the simplified acquisition threshold. The letter says we can request a debrief. What does a debrief even mean in government contracting? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth asking for one.

For those of you who have asked for a debrief, what information do they actually provide? Do they tell you where you lost points or how your price compared? What is the deadline to ask for one, and what questions should I be ready to ask to get real answers?

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asked Jordan P. First-year bidder, landscaping and grounds · Jacksonville, FL · 147 rep

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Jordan, a postaward debriefing can tell you whether your price was too high, but not how it compared to other specific offerors. The contracting officer will share the awardee's total price, but not the prices of other unsuccessful offerors (FAR 15.506(d)(2)(iv)). You should also receive the government's overall evaluation of your proposal, including strengths and weaknesses, and the overall ranking of all offerors (FAR 15.506(d)(2)(i)-(iii)). To get the most out of your debriefing, prepare specific questions about your proposal's weaknesses and how they impacted the evaluation. For example, if your technical approach was cited as a weakness, ask for more detail on what specific aspects were lacking or how they could be improved. You can also ask about your past performance evaluation, if applicable.

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answered Jo R. Freelance proposal writer · Denver, CO · 405 rep
Thanks, Jo, this is really helpful. I will definitely prepare specific questions about our weaknesses. Do I ask the contracting officer for the debriefing, or is there a specific portal for that? · Jordan P. ·
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A debriefing is a formal explanation from the government about why your proposal was not selected for award. You are entitled to a postaward debriefing if you submit a written request to the contracting officer within 3 days after receiving the notification of contract award (FAR 15.506(a)(1)). The contracting officer should hold the debriefing within 5 days after receiving your written request (FAR 15.506(a)(2)).

The debriefing will explain the basis for the selection decision and your proposal's strengths and weaknesses. You will also learn the overall ranking of all offerors and the awardee's total price. They will not tell you other offerors' pricing or technical details. You can ask questions during the debrief. Prepare your questions in advance, focusing on areas where you can improve for future bids. For example, ask about specific areas where your technical approach fell short or if your pricing was considered competitive. This feedback is critical for understanding how to improve your next proposal.

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answered Tom B. Construction estimator, public works · Phoenix, AZ · 225 rep
This is great, Tom. I've only done state bids so far, and they don't offer debriefs. I'll definitely keep this in mind for the federal bids I'm working on now. · Jordan P. ·
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Jordan, a postaward debriefing at the county level is a bit different from the federal process Tom described. For county solicitations, the debriefing content and deadlines are set by the county's procurement code, not the FAR. In my experience, a county procurement office would generally provide the overall ranking of offerors, the winning proposal's total price, and the evaluation of your proposal's strengths and weaknesses. We would not disclose other offerors' prices or proprietary information. You will want to ask for the debriefing quickly, as county codes often have short deadlines, sometimes as few as three business days after the award notice.

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answered Helen M. Former county procurement analyst · Raleigh, NC · 249 rep
Helen's right, the deadlines are tight. I've missed the debriefing window on county bids before because I didn't check the procurement code fast enough. Always read those county rules. · Marcus T. ·

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Sign up to answerCite the FAR clause or procurement code where you can.

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