What information should I expect to receive in a post-award debriefing for a federal contract?

In a postaward debriefing for a federal contract, you should expect to receive an explanation of the basis for the award decision and the agency's evaluation of your proposal. The FAR 15.506 outlines what a contracting officer must provide. They will tell you the agency's evaluation of the significant weaknesses or deficiencies in your proposal, if there were any. You will also learn the overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating of the successful offeror and your firm. The debriefing also covers the overall ranking of all offerors and a summary of the rationale for the award. They will not disclose the names of individuals providing past performance references, nor proprietary information about other offerors. The contracting officer will not provide specific details from the winning bid beyond what is necessary to explain the award. For state and local contracts, the information shared in a debriefing depends on the specific state procurement code and the portal's vendor guide. My company has seen low bidders get debriefed and realize they missed a key requirement.