The document provides tips for responding to a solicitation. It advises to carefully read the solicitation to understand requirements like scope of work and evaluation criteria. Respondents should study the evaluation criteria and their importance order. All questions should be submitted in writing to the listed point of contact. Responses must follow all instructions and be submitted before deadlines. The best response should demonstrate relevant past performance and explain how proposed costs provide best value.

1. Tips for Responding
to a Solicitation

2. Read the solicitation carefully
• Included in the solicitation will be critical information such as the
scope of work, evaluation criteria, eligibility information, and more.
Be sure that you understand all of the requirements included in the
solicitation.

3. Review the Evaluation Criteria
• Study the evaluation criteria and their order of importance in the
solicitation. Typical evaluation criteria include Technical Expertise,
Staffing, Experience and Capabilities, and Past Performance.

4. Ask Questions
• When a solicitation is issued, a point of contact will be listed. Be sure
to only contact the individual(s) listed in the solicitation. All questions
should be submitted in writing.

5. Be aware of dates
• Deadlines are critical. Be sure to check dates and times, and ensure to
take into account time zone differences. Information submitted past
deadlines will likely not be accepted.

6. Follow instructions
• Outlined in every solicitation are specific requirements/instructions
for how you must prepare your response. We recommend that
organizations create a checklist of key items and mark them off as
they are produced. If you do not follow the
requirements/instructions, your submission may not be considered.

7. Submit your best response
• Your organization should submit its best possible response to a
solicitation in case OET decides to make an award without discussions
or negotiations.
• Be definitive in your narrative. Uncertainly in your application will
raise questions with reviewers and will likely result in a lower score.

8. Demonstrate ability to perform
• Past performance information is a key factor for predicting successful
performance. Your organization will want to ensure that you provide
information about your relevant and recent past performance. If you
are new to doing business with OET, your organization can still submit
performance information that is not necessarily DCEO funded.

9. Explain how your proposed costs are
competitive
• We are responsible for achieving best value in our awards.
Solicitations usually request that cost proposals also include a
detailed narrative on how costs were developed.

10. Thank you!
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