# Debriefs: ask every time

> How to request a debrief after a loss, what to ask for, how to turn a loss into a subcontract lead, and why protests need an attorney.

Last verified October 2026. Page: https://victavio.com/learn/debriefs

Losing a bid is information. A debrief tells you how the buyer saw your offer, so the next one is stronger.

## Ask quickly

- **Negotiated buys (FAR Part 15).** Request a debrief in writing within 3 days after you receive notice that you were excluded or that another company won. If you ask on time, the buyer must give you one. Agencies using the FAR overhaul text keep the same 3-day window. A late request may still be honored, but it is not owed to you.
- **Simplified buys (FAR Part 13).** If the award was based on factors other than price alone, the buyer gives a brief explanation of the basis for the award when you ask.
- **State and local buyers.** The rules vary. Ask anyway. In Texas, you can also request public records about the award under the Public Information Act, though some information may be withheld.

Asking politely never hurts. Many buyers share something even when they do not have to.

## What to say

Keep the request short and plain, for example:

"We were not selected for solicitation [number]. We request a debriefing. We are asking for feedback to improve future offers, not for anyone's proprietary information."

In a full debrief under FAR Part 15, you can expect to learn:

- The significant weaknesses or deficiencies in your offer.
- Your overall evaluated price and technical rating, and those of the winner.
- The overall ranking of offers, if the buyer ranked them.
- A summary of why the winner was chosen.

A debrief does not include point-by-point comparisons with other offers or other companies' confidential information.

## Find out why you lost

Was it price, or was it the proposal? They need different fixes.

- **Best value, and you cost less:** read the buyer's reasons. It paid more for something it valued, and that reason is your guide for the next bid.
- **Weaknesses in your approach:** fix each one in your templates and your methods.
- **Lowest price wins, and you were higher:** check your costs and your assumptions about the scope.

## Turn the loss into a lead

The day you learn who won, email the winner. Congratulate them and offer to help as a subcontractor if they need it. New winners sometimes need help fast.

Also ask the contracting officer what smaller buys are coming, and keep the relationship warm. People who buy move between offices.

## Keep a loss log

For each loss, record your price, the winning price, the winner, your ratings and what you will change. Patterns show up after a few bids.

## Protests need an attorney

A protest is a formal challenge to an award. Deadlines are short: many protests at GAO are due within 10 days, and a size protest is generally due within 5 business days after you learn who the apparent winner is. A protest costs money and can affect your relationship with the buyer. File only for a real error, and only after talking to an attorney. Victavio never files or recommends protests.

## Official sources
- [FAR 15.505: Preaward debriefing of offerors](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.505)
- [FAR 15.506: Postaward debriefing of offerors](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.506)
- [FAR 13.106-3: Award and documentation (simplified acquisitions)](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/13.106-3)
- [Revolutionary FAR Overhaul](https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul)
- [13 CFR 121.1004: Time limits for filing a size protest](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/section-121.1004)
- [GAO: Bid protests](https://www.gao.gov/legal/bid-protests)
- [Texas Attorney General: Open government](https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/open-government)

This lesson is general information, not legal advice. Rules change. Check the official source before you act.
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