Federal Business Opportunities

Purpose

To serve as the entry point for all federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000.

Procedure

FedBizOpps is a public Web site that features notices of Federal business opportunities, including proposed contract actions, solicitations, contract awards, and other procurement information.

FedBizOpps publications include the following:

• Sources Sought notices survey the market to determine if there are sources that can satisfy our requirements. Small Business Sources Sought notices specifically try to determine if there are two or more capable small businesses. Notices summarize our requirements and request a capability statement that shows an organization's ability to satisfy our requirements. Capability statements are evaluated by the project officer and other scientific program staff to determine capability. If two or more small businesses are determined to be capable, the solicitation must be issued as a set-aside for small business. In most cases, a sources sought notice should be published. However, sources sought notices are not needed for Broad Agency Announcements.
• Special Notices for RFIs and Draft Solicitations promote early information exchange to identify and resolve issues about an acquisition, including contract type, terms and conditions, planning schedules, the feasibility of requirements (statements of work, performance, and data issues), and the suitability of proposal instructions and evaluation criteria. Program staff and OA jointly decide whether the use of either a request for information or a draft solicitation would be beneficial. Extra time should be included in the milestone schedule to accomplish this extra step. The OA director approves the use of RFIs and draft solicitations.
• Notice of a proposed award using other than full and open competition states that we intend to solicit and negotiate with only one source; see FAR 6.302. This notice allows 45 days for interested parties to identify their interest and capabilities. Information received is evaluated by the contracting officer and the project officer.
• RFP availability announcement, part of the acquisition plan, conveys RFP availability in FedBizOpps. We publish this notice at least 15 calendar days before issuing an RFP. This information is also used to create the NIH Guide notice.
• Posting of final RFP and amendments. See Request for Proposals SOP.
• Notice of Contract award, after award of a contract. This notice identifies the awardee(s) and includes the contract number, and total negotiated amount. For option contracts, contract specialists must include optional quantities and amounts in the Notice, or else we will have to synopsize those actions separately upon exercise of the options.

Contract specialists

Prepare and ensure transmission of all contract actions over $25,000 to FedBizOpps, unless exempted by FAR 5.202, FAR 5.3, or one of the exceptions in FAR 6.302 and the JOFOC Desk Guide.

With project officer, prepare the appropriate FedBizOpps notices.

OA support staff

Transmit all notices to FedBizOpps.

Project officers

Work with contract specialist to write sources sought notices, notices of a proposed award using other than full and open competition, and RFP availability announcements.

Work with contract specialist to determine if an RFI or draft solicitation is beneficial.

Work with contract specialist to prepare RFI or draft solicitation.

With other scientific program staff, review capability statements and other technical information submitted in response to FedBizOpps announcements.

Contacts

See the Office of Acquisitions staff listing for the appropriate contract specialist.

If you have knowledge to share or want more information on this topic, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Links

FAR 5, Publicizing Contract Actions

FAR 10, Market Research

FAR 15.2, Solicitation and Receipt of Proposals and Information