What Are the Different Types of Procurement Solicitations?

Organizations use several distinct procurement document types depending on their stage in the buying process and the complexity of their requirements. The four most common types are Sources Sought notices, Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposal (RFPs), and Requests for Quotation (RFQs). Each serves a different purpose, requires a different level of response effort, and signals a different stage in the procurement cycle. Understanding these distinctions is essential for proposal teams that need to prioritize their time across dozens of simultaneous opportunities.

An analysis of 7,569 procurement listings from October 2025 through February 2026 reveals the relative prevalence of each type. RFIs appear most frequently at 6.2% of all listings (472), followed by RFPs at 4.0% (299), Sources Sought at 1.9% (144), RFQs at 0.9% (71), and Invitations for Bid at 0.4% (34). The remaining listings either do not specify a type or use non-standard terminology. These proportions shift significantly in federal procurement, where Sources Sought and RFI activity is higher due to mandatory market research requirements.

What Is a Sources Sought Notice?

A Sources Sought notice is a market research tool used primarily by federal agencies to determine whether qualified vendors exist before committing to a formal procurement. It is not a solicitation and does not commit the government to issuing a contract. Instead, it asks vendors to submit a brief capability statement demonstrating their qualifications, experience, and interest in a potential requirement. Sources Sought notices are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and typically have short response windows of 7-15 days.

For vendors, Sources Sought notices are valuable intelligence. They signal upcoming procurement activity, often months before a formal RFP is issued. Responding to Sources Sought notices positions your company in the contracting officer's awareness and can influence whether the eventual solicitation is set aside for small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, or other socioeconomic categories. In our dataset, Sources Sought notices represent 1.9% of all listings and are most common in Construction and IT Services categories.

What Is an RFI (Request for Information)?

A Request for Information is a formal inquiry used by both public and private organizations to gather information about available products, services, and vendor capabilities. Unlike an RFP, an RFI does not ask for a detailed proposal or pricing. Instead, it typically requests capability statements, product descriptions, case studies, and general approach descriptions. RFIs are used when the buyer is still defining their requirements and needs industry input to shape the eventual solicitation.

RFIs are the most common procurement document type in our dataset at 6.2% of listings. They are particularly prevalent in technology categories, where buyers need to understand what solutions exist before they can write specific requirements. Responding to an RFI is generally less resource-intensive than responding to an RFP, but it is strategically important. Organizations that provide thoughtful, detailed RFI responses often gain an advantage when the formal RFP is issued because they have already established credibility and may have influenced the requirements.

What Is an RFP (Request for Proposal)?

A Request for Proposal is the formal solicitation that asks vendors to submit a detailed proposal describing their solution, methodology, team, timeline, and pricing. RFPs are used for complex, solution-driven engagements where the buyer needs to evaluate multiple approaches and select the best overall value, not just the lowest price. They are the standard procurement mechanism for software implementations, consulting engagements, construction projects, and professional services.

RFPs require the most significant response effort. Based on industry benchmarks from APMP, a typical mid-complexity RFP response requires 20-40 hours of effort from a team of 3-5 contributors. The median deadline for RFPs in our dataset is 24 days, though 45.7% allow 21 days or fewer. RFPs are evaluated against stated criteria, which typically include Technical Approach (40-50% weight), Past Performance (20-30%), and Price (20-30%), though the exact weighting varies by organization and sector.

What Is an RFQ (Request for Quotation)?

A Request for Quotation is used for straightforward purchases where the requirements are well-defined and the primary evaluation criterion is price. RFQs are most common for commodity goods, standard services, and maintenance contracts where the technical specifications are clear and the buyer primarily needs competitive pricing. The response to an RFQ is typically a quote sheet with unit pricing, quantities, delivery timelines, and applicable terms and conditions.

RFQs represent just 0.9% of listings in our dataset, making them the least common of the four major solicitation types. This is partially because our data sources focus on more complex procurements where proposal software adds the most value. In practice, RFQs are extremely common in routine government purchasing and private-sector supply chain procurement, but they are less likely to appear on the bid boards and procurement portals that our pipeline indexes.

How Should You Prioritize Across Solicitation Types?

A smart proposal team treats the procurement cycle as a funnel. Sources Sought notices and RFIs are top-of-funnel intelligence. They require relatively low effort (a 2-5 page capability statement) but provide high strategic value by positioning your firm for upcoming opportunities and providing early visibility into buyer needs. RFPs are the conversion stage, requiring significant effort but offering the highest immediate revenue potential. RFQs are transactional and should be handled efficiently through standardized pricing templates.

The optimal allocation depends on your team's capacity and market position. If you are entering a new market or building relationships with new buyers, prioritize Sources Sought and RFI responses to establish presence. If you are an established vendor with strong past performance, focus effort on competitive RFPs where your track record gives you a scoring advantage. In either case, automated discovery tools that surface all solicitation types, not just RFPs, ensure you never miss early-stage opportunities that shape the competitive landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I respond to Sources Sought notices?

Yes, especially in federal procurement. Sources Sought responses are low effort (typically 2-5 pages) and provide disproportionate strategic value. They position your company in the contracting officer's awareness, can influence whether the eventual solicitation is set aside for small businesses, and give you early intelligence about upcoming requirements. Not responding means the agency may not know you exist when the formal RFP is issued.

What is the difference between an RFP and an RFQ?

An RFP (Request for Proposal) is used for complex engagements where the buyer evaluates proposed solutions, methodologies, and teams alongside pricing. An RFQ (Request for Quotation) is used for straightforward purchases where requirements are well-defined and price is the primary evaluation factor. RFPs require detailed technical responses, while RFQs typically require only pricing and delivery information.

How common are sole source awards?

In our dataset, 2.3% of all listings (173 out of 7,569) are sole source procurements where the agency intends to award without competition. Healthcare IT has the highest sole source rate at 8.5%, followed by Software at 3.9%. Sole source notices signal that the buyer has a preferred vendor but is required (often by regulation) to publicize the intent and allow interested parties to submit capability information.