Guides / Sources sought vs RFI vs RFP vs RFQ (and IFB): what each SAM.gov notice means

Sources sought vs RFI vs RFP vs RFQ (and IFB): what each SAM.gov notice means

Last reviewed November 2, 2026 · Educational content, not legal advice

SAM.gov labels every notice with a type. The type tells you where the purchase is in its life cycle—and whether there is anything to bid on yet. Here is what each one means, what the FAR says about it, and what to do with it.

Quick comparison

Sources sought and requests for information (RFI)

FAR Part 15 encourages agencies to release RFIs “when the Government does not currently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery, market, or capabilities information for planning purposes.” There is no required format, responses are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a contract, and the RFI must say that the Government will not award a contract on its basis or pay for the information (FAR Overhaul 15.101(c)). On SAM.gov these usually appear as Sources Sought.

Why they matter: agencies must do market research before soliciting offers above the simplified acquisition threshold (FAR Overhaul 10.001), and a contracting officer must set a contract aside for small business when there is a reasonable expectation of competitive offers from two or more responsible small businesses (19.104-1). See how to respond to a sources sought notice.

Presolicitation notices

A presolicitation notice announces a proposed contract action before the solicitation. FAR Part 5 lists what it must contain, including the contracting officer’s contact information, whether it is a total or partial small business set-aside, the product/service and NAICS codes, and a description detailed enough for you to decide whether to watch for the solicitation (FAR Overhaul 5.101(c)). It is not a request for offers—use it to get ready.

RFP — request for proposals

RFPs are used in negotiated acquisitions (FAR Part 15) “to communicate Government requirements to prospective contractors and to request proposals.” A competitive RFP describes the requirement, the anticipated terms, what your proposal must contain, and the evaluation factors and their relative importance (FAR Overhaul 15.102). Expect evaluation on more than price—for example a tradeoff or lowest-price-technically-acceptable approach (15.103).

RFQ — request for quotations

RFQs are used with simplified procedures. A key legal point: under the FAR, neither a quotation nor the purchase order issued in response to it forms a binding contract by itself—the purchase order is the Government’s offer to buy on stated terms (FAR Overhaul 12.201-1). Contracting officers have broad discretion in how they evaluate quotations (12.203), so read the stated basis for award carefully.

IFB — invitation for bids (sealed bidding)

Sealed bidding (FAR Part 14) uses competitive bids, public opening of bids and award, and requires firm-fixed-price contracts (or fixed-price with economic price adjustment) (FAR Overhaul Part 14). In practice that means price and strict conformance to the IFB matter most.

Combined synopsis/solicitation

For commercial products and services, agencies may combine the notice and the solicitation into one SAM.gov posting. The required language states that the announcement “constitutes the only solicitation” and that “a separate written solicitation will not be issued.” It will say whether it is issued as an RFQ, RFP or IFB and whether it is set aside for small business (FAR Overhaul 12.202(b)).

How much time you get

Minimum response times depend on value, type and trade agreements. For example, under the FAR Overhaul text of Part 5, commercial acquisitions above the simplified acquisition threshold that are not covered by trade agreements have no fixed minimum—only “a reasonable opportunity to respond”—while most other noncommercial acquisitions get at least 30 days from the solicitation (Table 5-3, FAR Overhaul 5.201(d)). Practical takeaway: short windows are normal for combined synopsis/solicitations, so daily monitoring pays off.

FAQ

Sources

1. Acquisition.gov — FAR Overhaul Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation (RFPs, RFIs)
2. Acquisition.gov — FAR Overhaul Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Products and Services (simplified procedures, RFQs, combined synopsis/solicitation)
3. Acquisition.gov — FAR Overhaul Part 14, Sealed Bidding
4. Acquisition.gov — FAR Overhaul Part 5, Publicizing Contract Actions
5. Acquisition.gov — FAR Overhaul Part 10, Market Research
6. SAM.gov — Contract Opportunities ("Do I need a user account?")
7. Acquisition.gov — Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (deviation text and status)

More guides

• How to find federal contract opportunities on SAM.gov
• NAICS codes for small business government contracting
• Federal set-aside types: small business, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB and WOSB
• How to respond to a sources sought notice

OppBeacon is an independent software product. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the U.S. government or SAM.gov. We do not submit bids, register businesses, file government paperwork, or provide consulting, IT, or development services. Data comes from publicly available SAM.gov records.