My SAM.gov saved search for 561730, Landscaping Services, has been bringing back a bunch of different notices for federal grounds work, mostly for military bases around Jacksonville. I see a lot of RFQs, RFIs, and then some that just say "solicitation" or "sources sought." I am trying to figure out which of these my nine-person company can actually bid on. It seems like some of them are just the government asking questions, not really looking for a bid. For example, a recent sources sought notice for grounds maintenance at NAS Jacksonville, no set-aside, had a response deadline of last Friday. But then there was an RFQ for the same base, also grounds maintenance, due next month. How do I know which one is a real opportunity to win a contract?
RFP vs RFQ vs RFI: which of these can a nine-person company actually bid on?
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Your nine-person company can bid on Requests for Quotation (RFQs) and solicitations, which include Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and Invitations for Bid (IFBs), because these are formal requests for offers that can lead to a contract award. A Request for Information (RFI) is used when the government does not intend to award a contract, so responses to an RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a binding contract as stated in FAR 15.201(e). A sources sought notice is also a market research tool, used to gauge interest and capability within the vendor community, and it is not a solicitation for an award. When you see an RFQ or a solicitation, these are the documents that ask for your pricing and technical approach to win a contract. Always check the document for its type and the specific instructions for proposal submission.