How to read a solicitation

A solicitation can run from a few pages to hundreds. Read it in an order that tells you quickly whether to bid and exactly what you must send.

Read in this order

1. The cover form. For commercial buys this is often Standard Form 1449. It shows the solicitation number, the due date and time, the buying office, the set-aside and the NAICS code.
2. The instructions. What to submit, how, in what format and when. In a formal RFP this is usually Section L. In commercial buys it is often FAR 52.212-1 plus an addendum.
3. The evaluation. How offers will be judged. In an RFP this is usually Section M. In commercial buys it is often FAR 52.212-2. Note whether the award goes to the lowest-priced acceptable offer or to the best value after weighing price against other factors.
4. The work. The statement of work, performance work statement or specifications.
5. The price schedule. The line items, quantities and any option years.
6. The clauses. Terms that change what you must do, such as insurance, security, wage rates or limits on subcontracting.
7. The representations and certifications. Statements you must make. See Reps and certs are pass or fail.
8. Every attachment and every amendment.

Read everything

Do not trust anyone who says only a few pages matter. A missing form, a page over the limit or a missed amendment can get an offer thrown out before anyone reads it. Attachment names are clues too. A "pricing template" or a "past performance questionnaire" is something you must fill in.

Find the key dates

Write down:

• The question deadline.
• Any site visit or pre-bid meeting, and whether it is mandatory.
• The due date and time, with the time zone. If a commercial solicitation gives no time, offers are generally due at 4:30 p.m. local time for the office named in it.
• How long your offer must stay valid.

Find how to submit

Email, a federal portal, a state portal or paper. Note file size limits, file types, naming rules and the exact email subject line. Set up any portal account days ahead.

Clause numbers may differ

Since 2025, many federal agencies use rewritten FAR text from the FAR overhaul, put in place through official deviations. Section numbers in a solicitation may not match the FAR you find online. Read the clauses the solicitation actually includes, as written there.

Turn it into a list

As you read, list each "shall", each instruction, each evaluation factor and each form. That list becomes your compliance matrix. See Build a compliance matrix.

If you cannot tell what they want

If the requirement is still unclear after a careful read, ask a question before the question deadline. If it stays unclear, think about passing. It is hard to write a strong answer to an unclear ask.

Use a brief as a guide, not a substitute

On paid plans, Victavio writes a short brief of a notice with exact quotes from it. A brief helps you decide what to read first. It never replaces reading the solicitation yourself.