RFP Module 3 flashcards
RFP Module 3 · Build recall with a focused review session.
33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- RFP definition
- A solicitation that states requirements and invites vendors to propose a solution, technical approach, and price. Used when the buyer cannot fully specify the solution in advance.
- RFI purpose
- A market research tool that gathers vendor capabilities and pricing information without creating an award obligation. Responses cannot be used to disqualify a vendor from a later solicitation.
- RFQ vs RFP
- An RFQ is price-focused and used for well-defined goods; an RFP evaluates technical approach and past performance as well as price. Choosing wrongly distorts competition.
- Evaluation weights rule
- Published weights must sum to 100 percent and appear in the RFP itself. Changing criteria or weights after release creates protest exposure and undermines the award defensibility.
- Addendum function
- An addendum is the only formal channel for changing RFP requirements. Verbal answers and informal emails do not modify the solicitation and must not be relied upon.
- Testable requirement
- A requirement naming the actor, action, object, and a measurable threshold, such as returning search results within two seconds for 95 percent of queries.
- Shall versus should
- Shall marks a mandatory requirement usable as a pass/fail gate; should and may mark desirable features that are scored but cannot disqualify an offeror.
- Non-functional requirements
- Requirements covering performance, security, availability, usability, and compliance rather than specific functions. They often determine whether a technically compliant solution is usable in practice.
- Requirements traceability
- Assigning each requirement a unique identifier so proposals, demonstrations, and acceptance tests can be traced back to it, limiting scope creep and easing evaluation.
- Statement of Work contents
- Deliverables, acceptance criteria, period and place of performance, and customer-furnished items. An SOW without acceptance criteria invites disputes at delivery.
- Independent Cost Estimate
- A buyer-side should-cost estimate built before release that anchors price reasonableness and realism judgments during evaluation, independent of vendor proposals.
- Proposal volume structure
- Typical RFP volumes separate administrative representations, technical approach, past performance, and price so technical evaluators can score without seeing price.
- Proposal instructions content
- Page limits, formatting rules, submission format, deadline with time zone, and the stated consequence of noncompliance, which is usually rejection or point deduction.
- Late proposal rule
- Proposals received after the closing time are rejected unless the solicitation states a specific exception, such as a documented transmission error.
- Pre-proposal conference
- An optional meeting or site visit for offerors. If held, its minutes and answers become part of the solicitation record and bind all offerors equally.
- Best value tradeoff
- A source selection method allowing award to a higher-priced, technically superior proposal when the added value justifies the price premium over other offers.
- LPTA award basis
- Lowest price technically acceptable: proposals are gated on mandatory requirements, then award goes to the lowest-priced technically acceptable offer with no tradeoff discretion.
- Consensus scoring
- Evaluators score independently first, then reconcile differences in a consensus session. Individual worksheets are retained as part of the official evaluation record.
- Price realism
- An assessment of whether a proposed price is achievable for the proposed technical approach. Unrealistically low prices signal performance risk and possible underbidding.
- Clarifications versus discussions
- Clarifications resolve minor or clerical issues without changing price or technical content; discussions allow revisions and require equal treatment of all offerors in the competitive range.
- Firm-fixed-price contract
- A contract type where the price is not adjusted for the seller's cost changes. Suitable when requirements are well defined and performance risk is low.
- Cost-reimbursement contract
- A contract type paying allowable incurred costs plus a fee, used when requirements are uncertain. Requires a cost accounting system and active cost surveillance.
- Time and materials ceiling
- T and M contracts pay fixed hourly labor rates plus materials at cost. A stated ceiling and surveillance are required because cost risk sits with the buyer.
- Contract definitization
- Converting a letter contract or undefinitized action into a definitive contract within a stated period, commonly 180 days, before the arrangement becomes a compliance risk.
- Negotiation reservation point
- The least favorable outcome a negotiator will accept before walking away. Setting target and reservation points in advance prevents concessions made under pressure.
- Bilateral modification
- A contract change signed by both parties, used when scope, price, or terms change. A unilateral change order is limited to the Changes clause and triggers an equitable adjustment.
- Acceptance criteria role
- Objective, testable conditions that determine whether a deliverable is accepted. Acceptance triggers payment and starts the warranty or maintenance period.
- Service level agreement
- A performance commitment with defined metrics, measurement windows, remedies, and escalation paths. Without remedies, service levels function as aspirational statements rather than enforceable terms.
- Past performance record
- Evaluations such as CPARS recorded annually and at closeout. They feed future source selections, so accuracy and timely vendor comments matter.
- Contract closeout steps
- Final acceptance, property disposition, final invoice and payment, and release of claims. Records must be retained for the period required by regulation or policy.
- Traceability matrix
- A table linking each requirement to its evaluation criterion and acceptance test. It demonstrates coverage and exposes requirements that are unscored or untested.
- Risk register fields
- Each risk records likelihood, impact, mitigation owner, and trigger. The register is reviewed at milestones rather than written once for the appendix.
- Contract type justification
- The paper must justify the chosen contract type against requirement certainty, contract duration, and risk allocation, not simply assert a preference.