A proposal deadline creeps up on your calendar. Anxious, you slowly (at first) warm your digits on the keyboard. After a few hours, days (you’ve lost track), you feel the the hum of genius. You’re firing on all cylinders. This proposal is the best ever—and that’s saying a lot. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, you submit the proposal with great expectations that the Government will give you an A++++++++ and, more importantly, a fatty contract.
Then, it comes . . . the unsuccessful offeror notice. Waxing lugubrious, you make a beeline to the nearest grocery store. Only Ben & Jerry’s can console now.
Please, get that pint of ice cream. But not before you request a debriefing.
In this post, we discuss required debriefings under FAR Parts 15 and 16 and their interplay with bid protests. Other FAR Parts (e.g., Subpart 8.4) provide for debriefing-esque feedback (often called brief explanations); but we will address those in another post.
What is a debriefing?
A debriefing is an oral or written explanation an agency’s evaluation of an offeror’s proposal and the award decision. In FAR Part 15 (negotiated) procurements, they come in two different flavors: pre-award and post-award.
To receive a pre-award debriefing, an offeror must submit a written request within 3 days of learning that it has been excluded from the competition. Likewise, a 3-day period governs a written request for a post-award debriefing; in that case, however, the period starts when the offeror discovers that it did not receive the award.
Very important point: an agency is only required to provide the debriefing if it was timely requested–i.e., within the 3 calendar day period. If you request falls on day 4, then agency can chose to honor the request, but the debriefing would not be considered required (which could impact a bid protest deadline at GAO).
FAR Part 16.5 also requires a post-award debriefing, if timely requested, for orders under indefinite-delivery contracts. But there’s a catch: an agency must only act on a request if the order exceeds $7.5 million.
What information do you receive in a debriefing?
For a pre-award debriefing, an agency should furnish (1) evaluation of the proposal’s significant elements, (2) the rationale for elimination, and (3) reasonable responses to questions about whether source selection procedures were followed. The debriefing won’t disclose other features like the number and identity of other offerors.
For post-award debriefings, the agency shares (1) the proposal’s significant weaknesses and deficiencies, (2) the firm’s (and awardee’s) overall evaluated price and technical rating and the firm’s past performance information, (3) the overall ranking of offerors, where appliable, (4) the award rationale, and (5) reasonable responses to questions about whether source selection procedures were followed. The debriefing won’t include a point-by-point comparison with other offerors.
Some DoD procurements mandate an enhanced debriefing. Specifically, one is required (1) when a small business or nontraditional defense contractor receives an award over $15 million, or (2) for any contract over $150 million. And though it sounds like something out of the CIA Torture Report (formally known as the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program), an enhanced debriefing actually facilitates information flow. For instance, it gives an offeror a redacted copy of the written source selection document and a chance to ask follow-up questions (if posed within 2 days after the debriefing).
Pro tip: post-award debriefings aren’t only for unsuccessful offerors. Awardees too can request debriefings. Getting feedback, even on a contract win, can give key insights into why the Government chose your proposal over others.
How do debriefings affect protest deadlines at GAO?
Generally, a protester must file a GAO protest within 10 days from when it knew or should have known its protest grounds. That deadline, however, is not triggered if the agency owes the protester a debriefing. But remember! An agency is only required to give a debriefing when its timely requested. So, if you timely request a debriefing, then a protest can be timely filed 10 days after the debriefing (or within 5 days to get the automatic performance suspension under the Competition in Contracting Act).
Wrap up
Win or lose, don’t skip a debriefing. Request it on time. Use the results for refining your proposals or as a ground to protest. In any event, routinize debriefings for every procurement in which they are available.
Understanding the Basics: Required Debriefings was last modified: May 11th, 2026 by