Request for Information (RFI)

A Request for Information (RFI) is a pre-solicitation market research document agencies issue to gather technical approaches, pricing ranges, and industry feedback before developing a formal solicitation, with no commitment to award a contract.

What is a Request for Information?

An RFI is a formal market research tool issued under FAR 15.201(e) that allows agencies to collect information from industry without initiating a procurement action. RFIs are specifically not solicitations, no offers are solicited, no contract will result directly from an RFI, and agencies are under no obligation to respond to submissions or proceed with a procurement.

Agencies use RFIs to:

• Understand available technical solutions and commercial off-the-shelf options
• Gather pricing ranges to develop an independent government cost estimate (IGCE)
• Assess whether adequate competition exists, particularly for small business set-aside decisions
• Test draft performance requirements or a draft statement of objectives
• Identify potential contract vehicles already in place (GWACs, agency IDIQs) that could be used
• Build relationships with potential offerors

RFI questions typically cover: technical capability, relevant past performance, proposed approaches, pricing structures, subcontracting opportunities, and feedback on draft requirements. Detailed RFIs may include a draft performance work statement asking industry to comment on clarity, reasonableness, and completeness.

Why RFIs matter for government contractors

An RFI response is one of the best investments of business development time a contractor can make. A detailed, technically credible RFI response accomplishes several things simultaneously: it signals your capability to the contracting office before competition begins, it may directly influence the final requirements to favor your approach, and it builds a relationship with the program office. Contractors who invest in high-quality RFI responses consistently report better outcomes in the resulting competition than those who ignore the RFI phase. Even if the resulting procurement goes in a direction you cannot compete on, the intelligence gathered from monitoring RFI releases tells you where agencies are heading strategically. Learn more in our blog on how to find government contracts.

Example

The Department of Homeland Security issues an RFI for a zero-trust network architecture implementation program, estimated at $30 million. The RFI includes twelve detailed questions covering technical capability, proposed architecture approach, relevant clearances, and pricing structure. An IT security firm spends three days drafting a detailed 20-page response highlighting their FedRAMP-authorized zero-trust platform and three directly comparable agency deployments. When the final RFP is released two months later, the performance work statement reflects a phased zero-trust maturity model, the same approach the firm proposed in its RFI response.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does submitting an RFI response hurt or help your chances of winning the subsequent contract?

It almost always helps. Agencies are required to conduct market research in good faith, and strong RFI responses shape requirements. There is no procurement rule that penalizes companies for participating in market research. The only risk is that proprietary information submitted in an RFI could theoretically be seen by government staff evaluating the competition, so mark sensitive technical approaches as proprietary.

What is the difference between an RFI and a draft RFP?

An RFI gathers general market information before requirements are developed. A draft RFP (DRFP) is a later-stage document that shares a near-final solicitation with industry for comment before official release. A draft RFP signals that requirements are largely set; an RFI means requirements are still being shaped.

Are RFI responses confidential?

Not automatically. RFI submissions become part of the government's market research files and can be subject to FOIA requests. Companies should mark any proprietary or sensitive information with appropriate legends, but recognize that protection is not guaranteed.

How long is a typical RFI response window?

Most RFIs allow 14 to 45 days for responses. Complex RFIs covering emerging technology may allow 60 days. There is no minimum required response period for RFIs.