Bid/No-Bid Checklist for Federal Contracts: 20 Questions to Ask Before You Write a Word

What are the 20 questions to ask before you bid?

Fit: is this really your work?

1. Is the NAICS code one you're registered under in SAM.gov, and do you meet its size standard?
2. Could you describe the scope of work to a friend in one sentence without bluffing?
3. Is the set-aside (SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, small business) one you actually hold?
4. Is the place of performance somewhere you can staff without hiring a stranger in a hurry?

Proof: will an evaluator believe you?

5. Do you have past performance that looks like this job in size and type, usually from the last 3 to 5 years?
6. Can you name references who will actually answer the phone?
7. Do you meet every license, clearance, bonding, or insurance requirement on day one?
8. If proof is thin, do you have a partner whose experience fills the gap?

Competition: can you actually win?

9. Do you know who has the work now? (Check SAM.gov contract awards or USAspending.)
10. Did you answer the sources sought or talk to the buyer before the RFP came out?
11. Is this a new requirement, or a recompete where the incumbent is doing fine?
12. Are the evaluation factors ones where you're strong (price, technical, past performance)?

Capacity and compliance: can you deliver the proposal and the work?

13. Do you have enough days to write a compliant proposal without dropping paying work?
14. Can you meet the limitations on subcontracting? (For services, you can't pay more than 50% of what the government pays you to subcontractors that aren't similarly situated.)
15. Are the deliverables, reporting, and systems (CMMC, timekeeping, accounting) things you already handle?
16. Is someone available to manage the contract if you win next month?

Money: is it worth it?

17. Is the contract big enough to justify the proposal hours, but not so big it sinks you if it goes sideways?
18. Can you price it to make a profit after overhead, without guessing at labor rates?
19. Can you carry payroll for 30 to 60 days while the first invoices get paid?
20. Does winning it move you toward work you want next year?

Yes answers: 0 of 20

What tips do most small businesses learn the hard way?

1. Decide before you read the whole RFP. Skim Sections L and M (instructions and evaluation) first. If the evaluation factors don't play to your strengths, you just saved a weekend.
2. Look up the incumbent before anything else. If the same company has held the work for years and the agency is happy, your odds are poor unless something changed.
3. "Team" is a real answer. If you have the certification but not the proof, partner with a firm that has the past performance. You learn the agency and earn your own reference.
4. Price the proposal itself. Multiply the hours by what your time is worth. A $50,000 job that takes 60 proposal hours at a 10% win rate is a bad trade.
5. Write down why you passed. Two lines per pass. In six months you'll see the pattern of what you should stop chasing.

What red flags mean pass?

• The requirement reads like one company's brochure (brand names, oddly specific experience).
• Questions are due before you could realistically read the documents.
• You'd need to subcontract most of the work to a large business to perform it.
• You're hoping the evaluator will overlook a missing license or clearance.

Bid/no-bid questions

What is a bid/no-bid decision?

It's the go-or-pass call you make before writing a proposal. You check fit, proof, competition, capacity, and money, then decide to bid, team with someone, or pass. Making it early saves proposal hours for work you can actually win.

How many yes answers do I need to bid?

Use this as a rule of thumb: 16 or more yes answers out of 20 is a bid. 11 to 15 means team with a partner or get your open questions answered first. 10 or fewer, pass and save the hours.

Should a small business bid on everything to get noticed?

No. Losing proposals don't build a reputation, and contracting officers remember sloppy ones. Bid on fewer jobs that fit, and answer sources sought notices to get noticed before the RFP.

What's the difference between this checklist and the bid/no-bid scorecard?

The checklist is 20 yes-or-no questions you can print and run through in 10 minutes. The free scorecard tool weighs the same factors and gives you a GO, TEAM, or PASS verdict with next steps.