FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
About RFPrepared
The staff at RFPrepared has been where you are – a small business that wants to successfully respond to RFPs. With simple tools and support to get you going, RFPrepared is your go-to to give you peace of mind as you start the RFP response process.
Check out the packages that RFPrepared has to offer on our Pricing page and determine where you want to start. If you have questions, we are always available at support @rfprepared.com.
The Response Matrix by RFPrepared allows you to keep all your RFP response documentation in one place. A simple desktop application with click and drag capability to hold all your documents, and then, in the same app, pick and choose those documents you want to include in an RFP response. The Matrix will pull them all together in one PDF for submittal.
If you would like to see a demo of the Matrix in action, please Contact Us.
The FAR Clause Cheat Sheet defines more than 100 of the most common FAR Clauses found in RFPs from the US Federal government (please see the definition of a FAR Clause below). It defines each Clause in language you can understand, and provides a link to the Clause in it’s entirety. The Cheat Sheet also has highlighted those Clauses where there may be more information needed within the Clause.
Check out a Test Drive of the FAR Clause Cheat Sheet on the Free Stuff page.
RFP Response Basics
An RFP is a Request for Proposal and is most often used when requesting a price and job scope for services. An RFP can be issued by Federal, State or Local governments, or from a Prime Contractor. An RFI is a Request for Information and is often issued when the requesting entity is not sure what they want. An RFQ is a Request for Quotation, and usually applies to a request for a product with a per piece cost.
Almost always, an RFP from the US Federal government will include FAR Clauses which must be followed to the letter. FAR stands for Federal Acquisition Regulation – the US Government created the FAR for all government entities requesting responses to be able to use the same procurement “rules.”
In some RFPs the FAR Clause will be “implied,” in other words, they will simply state the Clause number and you need to know what it says, other times, they will include the Clause in its entirety. Either way, they are enforceable.
RFPrepared has created the FAR Clause Cheat Sheet which highlights more than 100 of the most common FAR Clauses – restated in language you can understand, with those Clauses highlighted where more information is needed. You can take a Test Drive of the FAR Clause Cheat Sheet on the Free Stuff page.
Standard Forms (SFs) accompany requests for proposal (RFP) from the US Federal Government. There are many types, with the most common being SFs 18, 26, 33, 1444, 1447 and 1449. Standard Forms give an outline of various elements of the RFP including the due date and whether or not there are Amendments to the RFP. RFPrepared has created a free Standard Forms (SF) First Look so you can see what the form looks like, as well as giving you some caveats as to which parts of the SF to be aware of. Check it out on the Free Stuff page.
Registration in SAM.gov is required by the US Federal Government in order to respond to all RFPs. Registration requires you to have some information ready to go – but the good thing is registration is free and you need to have that information readily available anyway. Go to SAM.gov and have the following ready: banking information, NAICS codes, CAGE Code, DUNS number, EIN or Tax ID and information for a Point of Contact in your organization. RFPrepared can help you with these first steps – check out our packages on the Pricing page.
Also note, there are FAR Clauses also associated with the SAM.gov registration. The FAR Clause Cheat Sheet from RFPrepared can help you decipher those Clauses quickly – to make sure you aren’t missing something important. The FAR Clause Cheat Sheet highlights more than 100 common FAR Clauses – restating them in language you can understand, and letting you know of any additional information you need to provide.
Take a Test Drive of the FAR Clause Cheat Sheet on the Free Stuff page.
Beta.SAM.gov has replaced FBO.gov as the central repository for all the RFPs out there from the US Federal Government. It is free to register, and you can easily set up a Search to have opportunities delivered to your email inbox. Opportunities can be searched by NAICS codes, geographical location, government Agency, due date, etc. Assistance with getting an FBO.gov search set up is included in each of our packages as part of the first steps – check it out on the Pricing page.
Program Requirements
At this time, the Response matrix is a Windows only application. It is designed for Windows versions 7, 8 and 10. If you have support issues please contact us for help.
The Response Matrix is a document organization tool and not a document editor.
The unique feature about the Response Matrix is that it creates a complete PDF of each individual RFP response that you can then save elsewhere, print or download and send. lf you would like to edit the PDF, RFPrepared suggests looking into Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
Use of the FAR Clause Cheat Sheet requires a spreadsheet editor to use. We recommend Microsoft Excel version 2007 or later. If you wish to use another spreadsheet program, please check that it supports .xlsx files.
Customer Support
You will receive an email with the Microsoft Teams invite. Once you click on the link, you will automatically be taken to the Microsoft Teams app and the meeting will open. Super easy!
After your purchase of either the A Little More Help or Go For It package, you will receive a confirmation email outlining how to download your product(s). There is a specific timeframe during which you must download, so make sure to note everything in the confirmation email.
If you have questions, please contact us at support@rfprepared.com.
For the A Little More Help package and the Go For It package, you will have signed up for an hour live Skype appointment with RFPrepared. At the tail end of that Skype call, we will share our screens and go over how to use either the Response Matrix or the FAR Clause Cheet Sheet (or both) so you are comfortable with their simple to use functionality.
If you have questions, please contact us at support@rfprepared.com.
RFPrepared has taken every precaution to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect your identity and payment information, including the built-in safety measures inherent to PayPal.
After your purchase of either the A Little More Help or Go For It package, you will receive a confirmation email outlining how to download your product(s). They will arrive on your desktop as a Zip file. If you have not opened a Zip file previously, you can find help at Windows Support for more instructions.
RFPrepared knows our customers are the only reason we are in business – and we are dedicated to making sure there are no loose ends or unanswered questions. Contact us at support@rfprepared.com and we will personally respond promptly.
RFPrepared does not anticipate that our customers will be dissatisfied with their purchase of services and/or downloads, and we would rather chat with you to find out if your needs are not being met by our products and services. However, RFPrepared will refund the purchase price of the services and/or products provided. Please read our expanded Terms and Conditions here for more information. And, as always, please contact us at support@rfprepared.com if you have questions and we will personally respond promptly.
Don’t see your question here? Contact Us for more information.