Presolicitation notices
Presolicitation notices help agencies efficiently manage bid set distribution by identifying interested parties before sending full solicitation documents.
Overview
FAR 14.205 allows contracting officers to send presolicitation notices instead of immediately distributing complete bid sets to potential bidders. These notices serve as an initial communication to gauge interest and manage the distribution of bid documents efficiently. The notice must specify the deadline for requesting a full bid set, provide a brief description of the requirement, and include enough information for recipients to decide if they are interested. Typically, detailed documents like drawings and specifications are not included in the presolicitation notice. The deadline for responses must allow enough time to estimate how many bid sets are needed before the formal invitation for bids is sent. Only those who respond to the notice will receive the complete bid set.