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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 15: Contracting by Negotiation › Subpart 15.5

FAR 15.503 Notifications to unsuccessful offerors.

The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.

In plain English

This section requires contracting officers to notify offerors in writing when they are excluded from the competitive range or otherwise eliminated from a competition, and to give certain notices before and after award. It matters to contractors because it tells them when and what they will be told about why they lost, and what information they can request.

Applies to: Contracting officers and offerors in competitive acquisitions, including small business programs

What it requires

  • Notify offerors promptly in writing when their proposals are excluded from the competitive range or otherwise eliminated from the competition
  • State the basis for the determination and that a proposal revision will not be considered
  • For small business programs, notify each offeror in writing prior to award and upon completion of negotiations and determinations of responsibility
  • Within 3 days after contract award, provide written notification to each offeror whose proposal was in the competitive range but was not selected

Key terms: competitive range · preaward notice · postaward notice · small business set-aside · HUBZone

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(a) Preaward notices—(1) Preaward notices of exclusion from competitive range. The contracting officer shall notify offerors promptly in writing when their proposals are excluded from the competitive range or otherwise eliminated from the competition. The notice shall state the basis for the determination and that a proposal revision will not be considered.

(2) Preaward notices for small business programs. (i) In addition to the notice in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the contracting officer shall notify each offeror in writing prior to award and upon completion of negotiations and determinations of responsibility—

(A) When using a small business set-aside (see subpart 19.5);

(B) When using the HUBZone procedures in 19.1305 or 19.1307;

(C) When using the service-disabled veteran-owned small business procedures in 19.1405; or

(D) When using the Women-Owned Small Business Program procedures in 19.1505.

(ii) The notice shall state—

(A) The name and address of the apparently successful offeror;

(B) That the Government will not consider subsequent revisions of the offeror's proposal; and

(C) That no response is required unless a basis exists to challenge the size status or small business status of the apparently successful offeror (e.g., small business concern, small disadvantaged business concern, HUBZone small business concern, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern, economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concern, or women-owned small business concern eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business Program).

(iii) The notice is not required when the contracting officer determines in writing that the urgency of the requirement necessitates award without delay or when the contract is entered into under the 8(a) program (see 19.805-2).

(b) Postaward notices. (1) Within 3 days after the date of contract award, the contracting officer shall provide written notification to each offeror whose proposal was in the competitive range but was not selected for award (10 U.S.C. 3304 and 41 U.S.C. 3704) or had not been previously notified under paragraph (a) of this section. The notice shall include—

(i) The number of offerors solicited;

(ii) The number of proposals received;

(iii) The name and address of each offeror receiving an award;

(iv) The items, quantities, and any stated unit prices of each award. If the number of items or other factors makes listing any stated unit prices impracticable at that time, only the total contract price need be furnished in the notice. However, the items, quantities, and any stated unit prices of each award shall be made publicly available, upon request; and

(v) In general terms, the reason(s) the offeror's proposal was not accepted, unless the price information in paragraph (b)(1)(iv) of this section readily reveals the reason. In no event shall an offeror's cost breakdown, profit, overhead rates, trade secrets, manufacturing processes and techniques, or other confidential business information be disclosed to any other offeror.

(2) Upon request, the contracting officer shall furnish the information described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section to unsuccessful offerors in solicitations using simplified acquisition procedures in part 13.

(3) Upon request, the contracting officer shall provide the information in paragraph (b)(1) of this section to unsuccessful offerors that received a preaward notice of exclusion from the competitive range.

Sections it refers to

  • 19.1305 HUBZone set-aside procedures.
  • 19.1307 Price evaluation preference for HUBZone small business concerns.
  • 19.1405 Set-aside procedures.
  • 19.1505 Set-aside procedures.
  • 19.805-2 Procedures.

Sections that refer to it

  • 5.303 Announcement of contract awards.
  • 13.106-3 Award and documentation.
  • 15.208 Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals.
  • 15.306 Exchanges with offerors after receipt of proposals.
  • 15.506 Postaward debriefing of offerors.
  • 16.505 Ordering.
  • 19.302 Protesting a small business representation or rerepresentation.
  • 19.306 Protesting a firm's status as a HUBZone small business concern.
  • 19.307 Protesting a firm's status as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern.
  • 19.308 Protesting a firm's status as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concern or women-owned small business concern eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business Program.
  • 25.408 Procedures.
  • 36.607 Release of information on firm selection.

← 15.502 Applicability. · 15.504 Award to successful offeror. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 15

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 15.503 Notifications to unsuccessful offerors · SpendQuery