SF 18
Request for Quotations
What It Is
SF 18 is how the government asks vendors for a quotation (RFQ) in a simplified acquisition. The critical distinction: a quote submitted in response to an RFQ is informational, not a binding offer. The government 'orders' against a quote, and the contract forms only when you accept that order. SDVOSBs see SF 18 (and its electronic equivalents) on smaller buys under the simplified acquisition threshold.
When You'll Use It
- Simplified acquisitions where the government wants pricing and availability before placing an order.
- Small set-aside buys below the simplified acquisition threshold.
- Market research and information-gathering ahead of a purchase order.
Who Completes It
The contracting office issues the RFQ; the vendor fills in unit prices, delivery, and any required information and returns the quote.
Key Blocks to Get Right
| Block / Section | What It Captures |
|---|---|
| Quotation pricing | Your unit and extended prices, delivery time, and discount terms. Because it's a quote, you can generally clarify or correct it before the government acts on it. |
| Delivery / period of performance | How quickly you can perform — often a decisive factor in simplified acquisitions where speed matters. |
| Vendor identification | Your firm's name, Unique Entity ID, CAGE, and small-business/SDVOSB representations as requested. |
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming a quote binds the government — it doesn't; the order does. Don't start performance on a quote alone.
- Quoting without confirming the set-aside status, then losing the buy on a technicality.
- Missing the response time on small buys, which can move quickly with little notice.
Frequently Asked
Is a quote on SF 18 a binding offer?
No. A quotation is not an offer that the government can accept to form a contract. The government uses your quote to issue a purchase order, and the contract forms when you accept that order (by performance or acknowledgment). This is the key legal difference between an RFQ (SF 18) and an IFB/RFP (SF 33 or SF 1449).
What is the simplified acquisition threshold?
It is the dollar ceiling below which agencies may use streamlined simplified acquisition procedures (FAR Part 13). The threshold is set by the FAR and adjusted for inflation, so confirm the current figure on acquisition.gov before relying on it.
Primary Sources
Plain-English reference, not legal advice. Standard forms are periodically reissued and the FAR is amended for inflation and policy — always download the current edition from the GSA Forms Library and confirm requirements against the solicitation and your contracting officer before relying on it.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the federal contracting forms reference covering the standard forms an SDVOSB encounters when bidding and performing set-asides — SF 1449, SF 33, SF 18, SF 30, SF 1442, SF 330, SF 1408, SF 1413, the eSRS ISR (formerly SF 294), SF LLL, SF 1034/1035, and the SAM.gov representations & certifications (FAR 52.204-8) — each with a key-blocks table, filing pitfalls, FAQPage, DigitalDocument, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source FAR citations, and cross-links into the glossary, how-to guides, FAQ, and regulation explainers.