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Government

RFP Response Checklist

A structured checklist for reviewing and responding to Requests for Proposal. Use this guide to extract deadlines, map requirements, and ensure your response addresses every evaluation factor.

GovernmentContracts

1Submission deadlines

  • Confirm the exact proposal due date and time, including time zone
  • Check for question submission deadlines (often 1–2 weeks before proposal due date)
  • Identify pre-proposal conference or site visit dates if attendance is mandatory
  • Note any phased submission requirements — technical and price proposals may be due separately
  • Set internal deadlines that give your team adequate review time before submission

2Required attachments and documents

  • List every required attachment identified in the RFP solicitation
  • Note required certifications (small business, veteran-owned, minority-owned, etc.)
  • Identify past performance submissions — number of references required and recency requirements
  • Check for required financial documentation, insurance certificates, or licenses
  • Confirm whether exhibits or templates are required verbatim or whether substitutions are acceptable

3Certifications and representations

  • Identify required certifications related to business size, ownership, and eligibility
  • Confirm SAM.gov or equivalent registration is current if required
  • Check for organizational conflict of interest (OCI) disclosure requirements
  • Note any debarment or exclusion certifications
  • Verify that the signing official has the authority to make the required representations

4Pricing review

  • Confirm whether the solicitation requires a fixed price, time-and-materials, or cost-reimbursable structure
  • Identify line item breakdown requirements and pricing templates
  • Check for price escalation or option year pricing requirements
  • Review basis of estimate or cost narrative requirements
  • Confirm whether pricing must be submitted separately from the technical proposal

5Compliance matrix

  • Create a compliance matrix mapping every RFP requirement to your proposal section
  • Flag any requirements your organization cannot meet
  • Identify "shall" vs. "should" language — "shall" indicates mandatory requirements
  • Check for minimum qualifications and verify you meet all of them before investing in the response
  • Note exceptions or deviations from requirements that must be explicitly stated

6Proposal formatting

  • Note page limits for each proposal volume or section
  • Confirm font size, margin, and spacing requirements
  • Check file format requirements (PDF, Word, specific naming conventions)
  • Identify file size limits for electronic submissions
  • Confirm the number of copies required if physical submission is specified

7Evaluation criteria

  • Identify all evaluation factors and their relative weights or ranking
  • Understand the scoring methodology — adjectival ratings, numerical scoring, or pass/fail
  • Map evaluation criteria to your proposal sections to ensure every factor is addressed
  • Note whether price is evaluated separately or integrated with technical evaluation
  • Identify any minimum scores or thresholds required to remain in the competitive range

8Past performance

  • Confirm the number of references required and recency (often 3–5 years)
  • Identify relevance requirements — contract type, dollar value, scope similarity
  • Check whether performance data is self-reported or collected from government databases
  • Prepare contact information for each reference and notify them before submission
  • Verify that performance ratings on referenced contracts are satisfactory or better

9Final validation

  • Review the entire proposal against the compliance matrix before submission
  • Confirm all required signatures are in place
  • Verify attachments are included and properly labeled
  • Test electronic submission portal before the deadline to catch technical issues
  • Retain a complete copy of the submitted proposal and all supporting materials

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