# How to read a solicitation

> The order to read a bid package in, what to look for in each part, and why every attachment and amendment matters.

Last verified October 2026. Page: https://victavio.com/learn/reading-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](https://victavio.com/learn/reps-and-certs).
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](https://victavio.com/learn/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.

## Official sources
- [FAR 52.212-1: Instructions to offerors, commercial products and commercial services](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-1)
- [FAR 52.212-2: Evaluation, commercial products and commercial services](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-2)
- [FAR Part 15: Contracting by negotiation](https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-15)
- [Revolutionary FAR Overhaul](https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul)

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