If you lose a competitive federal procurement, the government will often explain why — if you ask in time. A debriefing is one of the most valuable free lessons in federal contracting. It also matters legally, because debriefings affect bid protest timelines. This guide covers the rules and how to get the most from one.
Postaward debriefings under FAR 15.506
For negotiated procurements under FAR Part 15, FAR 15.506 says an offeror that submits a written request received by the agency within 3 days after receiving notification of contract award shall be debriefed and given the basis for the selection decision and award. To the maximum extent practicable, the debriefing should occur within 5 days after the agency receives the written request.
Debriefings can be oral, written or by another method acceptable to the contracting officer. Untimely requests may be accommodated, but accommodating a late request does not automatically extend protest deadlines.
What you are entitled to learn
At a minimum, under FAR 15.506(d), the debriefing must include:
- The government's evaluation of significant weaknesses or deficiencies in your proposal, if applicable
- The overall evaluated cost or price (including unit prices) and technical rating, if applicable, of the successful offeror and of your proposal, plus past performance information on your company
- The overall ranking of all offerors, when the agency developed one
- A summary of the rationale for award
- For commercial products, the make and model of the product the winner will deliver
- Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures in the solicitation and applicable rules were followed
What you will not learn
FAR 15.506(e) prohibits point-by-point comparisons of your proposal with others, and disclosure of protected information such as trade secrets, confidential processes, cost breakdowns, profit and indirect rates of other offerors, and the names of individuals who provided past performance references.
Preaward debriefings
If you are excluded from the competitive range or otherwise eliminated before award, FAR 15.505 lets you request a preaward debriefing in writing within 3 days after receiving the exclusion notice. You may ask to delay it until after award, in which case it includes the postaward information — but delaying can affect protest timeliness. Offerors are entitled to no more than one debriefing per proposal.
Simplified acquisitions, schedule orders and task orders
- Simplified acquisitions: if a supplier asks about an award based on factors other than price alone, FAR 13.106-3 requires a brief explanation of the basis for the award decision.
- GSA Schedule orders: FAR 8.405-2 similarly requires a brief explanation on request when the award was based on factors other than price alone.
- Task and delivery orders: FAR 16.505(b)(6) requires notice and debriefings following FAR 15.506 for orders above a stated dollar threshold.
How to request a debriefing
- Calendar the deadline the moment you get the award notice. Three days is short; count carefully.
- Send a written request to the contracting officer, citing the solicitation number and FAR 15.506 (or 15.505), and confirm receipt.
- Submit questions in advance if the agency allows. Focus on your evaluated weaknesses, how each factor was rated, and the basis for the tradeoff.
- Bring the right people — the proposal manager and the person who wrote the technical approach.
How to use it
- Listen, take notes, don't argue. The goal is to learn. Debriefings are not negotiations.
- Look for patterns. Were weaknesses about compliance, clarity, staffing, price or past performance? Compare across debriefings.
- Update your boilerplate and process. Fix the sections that drew weaknesses. Tighten your compliance matrix process if you missed requirements.
- Decide promptly about a protest. If something seems seriously wrong, talk to qualified counsel right away. When a required debriefing is requested, GAO's rules tie the protest deadline to the debriefing date. See bid protest basics.
- Keep the relationship. A professional debriefing leaves a good impression for the next opportunity.
Questions worth asking
- What were the most significant weaknesses in our proposal, and where in the proposal did the evaluators see them?
- Were there any strengths the evaluators noted that we should keep?
- How was our past performance assessed, and did the agency use sources beyond our references?
- Was our price considered fair and reasonable, and was realism evaluated?
- Were the evaluation factors applied as stated in the solicitation?
Keep questions factual and tied to the evaluation. Agencies are more forthcoming when the tone is professional.
Write it down afterward
Within a day of the debriefing, write a short internal summary: the ratings, the weaknesses and strengths cited, and the changes you will make. Over several bids, those summaries become your most useful proposal checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How soon must I request a debriefing?
For FAR Part 15 procurements, your written request must be received within 3 days after you receive notice of award (FAR 15.506) or of exclusion (FAR 15.505).
Will the agency tell me how my proposal compared to the winner's?
You will learn the winner's overall evaluated price and technical rating, and your own, but not a point-by-point comparison of proposals.
Can I get a debriefing on a simplified acquisition?
Not a formal Part 15 debriefing, but if the award was based on factors other than price alone, you are entitled to a brief explanation of the basis for award on request.
Does requesting a debriefing affect protest deadlines?
It can. When a debriefing is requested and required, GAO's rules set protest deadlines relative to the debriefing date. Delayed or untimely debriefings may not extend deadlines.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change — always check the solicitation and the official sources linked here.