RFQ — Request for Quotation
Also known as: RFQ
What It Is
A Request for Quotation (RFQ) is the solicitation the government uses for simplified acquisitions under FAR Subpart 13.1 and for orders against GSA Schedules and other vehicles under FAR 8.405. The defining legal feature, stated in FAR 13.004, is that a quotation is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. Instead, the government evaluates quotes and issues a purchase order or task/delivery order, and the contract is formed when the vendor accepts that order (by acknowledgment or by performance). RFQs are common for commercial products and services at or below the simplified acquisition threshold, and for buys off GSA's Multiple Award Schedule, where the paper RFQ form is Standard Form 18.
When You See It
- On simplified acquisitions of commercial supplies and services, often at or below the simplified acquisition threshold.
- When buying against a GSA Schedule or other IDIQ vehicle under FAR 8.405 or 16.505 ordering procedures (frequently via GSA eBuy).
- On SAM.gov as a 'Solicitation' or 'Combined Synopsis/Solicitation', or distributed directly to schedule holders through eBuy.
Key Features
| Feature | What It Means |
|---|---|
| A quote is not an offer | Per FAR 13.004, a quotation is not an offer; the government issues an order in response, and the contract forms when the vendor accepts that order. |
| Simplified and Schedule buys | RFQs run under FAR Subpart 13.1 (simplified acquisition) and FAR 8.405 (GSA Schedule ordering) — faster, lighter processes than FAR 15 negotiations. |
| Standard Form 18 | The classic paper RFQ is issued on SF 18, though many RFQs now flow through SAM.gov or GSA eBuy electronically. |
| Streamlined evaluation | Quotes are evaluated against simple criteria (often price and technical acceptability) without the full FAR 15 proposal, discussion, and negotiation machinery. |
What It Means for an SDVOSB
RFQs are the workhorse of the simplified-acquisition space where many SDVOSBs win their first awards — the lighter process and lower dollar thresholds favor nimble small firms. Two angles matter: contracting officers have broad discretion to set aside simplified acquisitions for SDVOSBs (and at the micro-purchase/SAT range can use streamlined methods), and if you hold a GSA Schedule, RFQs through eBuy are a steady channel. Quote quickly and accurately; because a quote is not an offer, the relationship and responsiveness you show often matter as much as a marginal price difference. The limitations on subcontracting still apply to set-aside RFQ orders above the simplified acquisition threshold.
How to Respond
- Quote promptly and exactly to the RFQ's terms — quantities, delivery, and any technical acceptability criteria.
- If it's a GSA Schedule RFQ via eBuy, make sure the quoted items/labor categories are on your awarded schedule.
- Confirm the set-aside status; on SDVOSB set-aside orders above the SAT, plan for the limitations on subcontracting.
- Acknowledge the resulting purchase or task order promptly — the contract forms when you accept the government's order.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming your quote binds the government — it doesn't; the government's order is what you then accept to form the contract.
- Quoting items or labor categories that are not actually on your GSA Schedule on a FAR 8.405 buy.
- Overlooking the limitations on subcontracting on a set-aside RFQ order above the simplified acquisition threshold.
Run the Numbers
Frequently Asked
Is a quote I submit on an RFQ a binding offer?
No. FAR 13.004 is explicit that a quotation is not an offer and, accordingly, cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. When the government wants to buy, it issues a purchase order or task/delivery order based on your quote, and a binding contract is formed when you accept that order — by written acknowledgment or by beginning performance. This is a key difference from an RFP, where your proposal is an offer the government can accept directly.
When does the government use an RFQ instead of an RFP?
The government uses an RFQ for simplified acquisitions under FAR Subpart 13.1 — typically commercial supplies and services at or below the simplified acquisition threshold — and for orders against GSA Schedules and other vehicles under FAR 8.405. RFQs are faster and lighter than the FAR 15 negotiated process behind an RFP. The government reaches for an RFP when the buy is larger or more complex and it wants binding proposals evaluated for best value with the option to hold discussions.
Primary Sources
- FAR 13.004 — Legal effect of quotations
- FAR Subpart 13.1 — Procedures (simplified acquisition)
- FAR 8.405 — Ordering procedures for Federal Supply Schedules
Plain-English reference, not legal advice. How a notice or solicitation is structured, and which procedures apply, is set by the specific posting, and the FAR is periodically amended — always read the actual notice and solicitation in SAM.gov and confirm its terms with the contracting officer before relying on this.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the federal solicitation & notice types reference covering the notice and solicitation types an SDVOSB encounters on SAM.gov — the Sources Sought notice, RFI, presolicitation and special notices, the Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), the combined synopsis/solicitation, the Broad Agency Announcement, the sole-source Justification, and the award notice — each with a key-features table, a how-to-respond checklist, common pitfalls, an SDVOSB-specific angle, FAQPage, Article, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source FAR citations, and cross-links into the glossary, forms reference, clauses, contract types, how-to guides, FAQ, and the set-aside eligibility, win-probability, and price-to-win calculators.