Unsolicited Proposal

An unsolicited proposal is a written submission made by a contractor to a federal agency on its own initiative, without the government having issued a solicitation, offering an innovative idea, unique solution, or capability that the agency has not specifically requested and that may lead to a sole-source contract award.

What is an Unsolicited Proposal?

FAR Subpart 15.6 establishes the government's framework for receiving, evaluating, and acting on unsolicited proposals. To be eligible for government consideration, an unsolicited proposal must contain a genuine innovation or unique approach that is not otherwise available to the government, present the proposer's technical approach and cost estimate, and demonstrate the proposer's capability to perform the proposed work.

The FAR prohibits agencies from using unsolicited proposals as a backdoor mechanism to award contracts for routine needs that should be competed. To qualify, the proposal must contain ideas or approaches that are truly unique, not simply an offer to perform work the government was already planning to procure competitively.

When an agency finds merit in an unsolicited proposal, it may conduct a sole-source negotiation under FAR 6.302-1 (only one responsible source) or explore whether the idea can be incorporated into an existing program. The proposer retains data rights protections on any proprietary technical data included in the submission, provided the proposal is clearly marked as containing proprietary information.

Unsolicited proposals are most effective when they address an agency's known but unfunded need, a technological gap that existing contracts do not cover, or an approach so novel that fair competition would require sharing the proposer's proprietary methodology. SBIR Phase I awards (which are competitive) should not be confused with unsolicited proposals, which bypass the competition requirement.

Why unsolicited proposals matter for government contractors

For companies with genuinely innovative capabilities, the unsolicited proposal route can create sole-source contract relationships that precede and foreclose competition. Technology companies, research institutions, and defense innovators have used this pathway to establish foundational government relationships that persist through follow-on competitive contracts once the technology is proven.

Example

A small AI research company develops a novel natural language processing approach for classifying sensitive government documents. Finding no active solicitation that matches its approach, the company submits an unsolicited proposal to the intelligence community's research office under FAR 15.6. The agency's technical reviewers find the approach genuinely innovative and distinct from contracted work. The agency negotiates a $1.5M pilot contract as a sole-source award, with the understanding that broader deployment would require competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes an unsolicited proposal different from responding to an RFP?

An unsolicited proposal is submitted without a government request and must demonstrate unique innovation. An RFP response is solicited by the government and evaluated competitively against other offerors under published evaluation criteria. Unsolicited proposals can lead to sole-source awards; RFP responses are evaluated in open competition.

How long does the government take to evaluate an unsolicited proposal?

FAR 15.606 requires agencies to acknowledge receipt of unsolicited proposals promptly and to evaluate them within 30 days if feasible. In practice, evaluations often take longer, particularly if the proposal requires technical review by multiple offices. Proposers should follow up at 30-day intervals if no response is received.

What information must an unsolicited proposal contain?

FAR 15.605 specifies required content: the proposer's name, address, and point of contact; a description of the proposed effort; a statement of any proprietary data included; information on the proposer's capability and prior work; the period for which the proposal is valid; and the type of contract proposed. A technical description and cost estimate are also typically expected.

Can a large company submit unsolicited proposals?

Yes, though the pathway is most commonly used by small businesses, research firms, and technology startups. Large businesses can submit unsolicited proposals but face a higher bar on uniqueness, since the government presumes large businesses have access to competitive procurement vehicles for routine needs.