PROJ598—Contract and Procurement Management
RFP Procurement Instructions:
Notes:
The formats of RFPs used by companies and government agencies are seldom the
same. The organization of the technical, management, and commercial information
included in RFPs varies. There are six commonly used sections of information that
procurement groups include in RFPs. We will use these six sections for your RFPs.
Add the following to your document in addition to the sections below:
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• References
1. Instructions to Bidders
2. Description of Work
3. Proposal
4. Specifications and Drawings
5. Special Conditions
6. General Conditions and Contract Agreement
The Instructions to Bidders section provides sufficient information to bidders to
allow them to prepare a responsive bid proposal. Most of this information is not
required in the final contract for the work. The information in the Description of
Work, Proposal, Specifications and Drawings, Special Conditions, and the General
Conditions and Contract Agreement sections is included in the final contract for the
work. The remainder of this document discusses each of these sections included in
RFPs.
How to Make Sure You are Writing a Comprehensive RFP
1. The RFP should provide sufficient information for a bidder to prepare a bid
proposal that is responsive to each of the technical, management, and
commercial requirements specified in the RFP.
2. The RFP should provide the necessary information concerning contract
requirements. When the information from the successful bid proposal is
combined with the requirements in the RFP, all of the information required to
prepare a contract for the work should be available.
3. The management requirement in the RFP should define how the contract
work will be managed by the owner and the contractor.
4. ALL Major sections (1-6) of the RFP must be included; however, subsections
may be removed if they are not necessary for the RFP. DO NOT have
subsections that are N/A or TBD.
, 1. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
The Instructions to Bidders section contains the information that a bidder requires
to prepare a bid proposal that is responsive to each of the requirements that are
included in other sections of the RFP. Certain RFPs provide this information in an
Invitation to Bid letter as well as in the Instructions to Bidders. The following
sections discuss common items that are included, in Instructions to Bidders
(referred to as Instructions).
1.1. General Description of Work
The Instructions provide a general description of the work covered by the
contract. If there are detailed Description of Work and Specifications and
Drawings sections included in the RFP, these sections are referenced in the
general description of the work.
1.2. What Must Be Included with Bid
To properly evaluate the bid proposals when they are received, all of the
information requested in the RFP must be provided by the bidders. Since
several sections of the RFP may require that bidders submit specific
information, the instructions summarize the specific information that must be
submitted with the bids. Much of the specific information that is required from
bidders is addressed in the Proposal section. The technical specifications in
the RFP may require that bidders submit certain technical data and
procedures with their bid proposals. The management requirements in the
Special Conditions may specify that bidders submit information such as
quality, safety, environmental, and schedule program descriptions. The
commercial requirements can define financial or insurance documents that
must be submitted by the bidders.
1.3. Schedule of Bid Period Activities
The Instructions define the date when bids are due. Many RFPs provide the
specific time of day that bids must be received. Most companies will not
accept bids after the due date. If a bidder notifies an owner in advance that it
cannot meet the specified bid submittal date, an owner may extend the
deadline for all bidders. Continued extensions of the due dates for bid
proposals cause confusion among the bidders and hard feelings on the part of
the bidders that complete their proposals on time. The Instructions should
clearly define the owner's position on receiving bids after the due date in the
RFP. The Instructions specify the location where bid proposals will be received
by an owner as well as the due date.
It is helpful to provide the bidders with an estimate of the date when the
contract will be awarded. This date is consistent with project schedule
requirements. Providing this date in the Instructions gives the bidders an
indication of when contract work will begin and establishes the completion
date for the project groups responsible for evaluating the bids for the
contract.
If there are specific meetings scheduled during the bid preparation period,
the dates for these meetings are defined in the Instructions. For example,
RFP Procurement Instructions:
Notes:
The formats of RFPs used by companies and government agencies are seldom the
same. The organization of the technical, management, and commercial information
included in RFPs varies. There are six commonly used sections of information that
procurement groups include in RFPs. We will use these six sections for your RFPs.
Add the following to your document in addition to the sections below:
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• References
1. Instructions to Bidders
2. Description of Work
3. Proposal
4. Specifications and Drawings
5. Special Conditions
6. General Conditions and Contract Agreement
The Instructions to Bidders section provides sufficient information to bidders to
allow them to prepare a responsive bid proposal. Most of this information is not
required in the final contract for the work. The information in the Description of
Work, Proposal, Specifications and Drawings, Special Conditions, and the General
Conditions and Contract Agreement sections is included in the final contract for the
work. The remainder of this document discusses each of these sections included in
RFPs.
How to Make Sure You are Writing a Comprehensive RFP
1. The RFP should provide sufficient information for a bidder to prepare a bid
proposal that is responsive to each of the technical, management, and
commercial requirements specified in the RFP.
2. The RFP should provide the necessary information concerning contract
requirements. When the information from the successful bid proposal is
combined with the requirements in the RFP, all of the information required to
prepare a contract for the work should be available.
3. The management requirement in the RFP should define how the contract
work will be managed by the owner and the contractor.
4. ALL Major sections (1-6) of the RFP must be included; however, subsections
may be removed if they are not necessary for the RFP. DO NOT have
subsections that are N/A or TBD.
, 1. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
The Instructions to Bidders section contains the information that a bidder requires
to prepare a bid proposal that is responsive to each of the requirements that are
included in other sections of the RFP. Certain RFPs provide this information in an
Invitation to Bid letter as well as in the Instructions to Bidders. The following
sections discuss common items that are included, in Instructions to Bidders
(referred to as Instructions).
1.1. General Description of Work
The Instructions provide a general description of the work covered by the
contract. If there are detailed Description of Work and Specifications and
Drawings sections included in the RFP, these sections are referenced in the
general description of the work.
1.2. What Must Be Included with Bid
To properly evaluate the bid proposals when they are received, all of the
information requested in the RFP must be provided by the bidders. Since
several sections of the RFP may require that bidders submit specific
information, the instructions summarize the specific information that must be
submitted with the bids. Much of the specific information that is required from
bidders is addressed in the Proposal section. The technical specifications in
the RFP may require that bidders submit certain technical data and
procedures with their bid proposals. The management requirements in the
Special Conditions may specify that bidders submit information such as
quality, safety, environmental, and schedule program descriptions. The
commercial requirements can define financial or insurance documents that
must be submitted by the bidders.
1.3. Schedule of Bid Period Activities
The Instructions define the date when bids are due. Many RFPs provide the
specific time of day that bids must be received. Most companies will not
accept bids after the due date. If a bidder notifies an owner in advance that it
cannot meet the specified bid submittal date, an owner may extend the
deadline for all bidders. Continued extensions of the due dates for bid
proposals cause confusion among the bidders and hard feelings on the part of
the bidders that complete their proposals on time. The Instructions should
clearly define the owner's position on receiving bids after the due date in the
RFP. The Instructions specify the location where bid proposals will be received
by an owner as well as the due date.
It is helpful to provide the bidders with an estimate of the date when the
contract will be awarded. This date is consistent with project schedule
requirements. Providing this date in the Instructions gives the bidders an
indication of when contract work will begin and establishes the completion
date for the project groups responsible for evaluating the bids for the
contract.
If there are specific meetings scheduled during the bid preparation period,
the dates for these meetings are defined in the Instructions. For example,
