Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria are the specific factors, subfactors, and standards that a government evaluation team uses to assess and score proposals. They are defined in the RFP (typically in Section M) and represent the basis on which the source selection decision will be made.

Common evaluation factors include Technical Approach, Management Approach, Past Performance, Key Personnel, and Price/Cost. Each factor may have subfactors and a defined rating scale (e.g., Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable). The RFP also states the relative importance of each factor.

Understanding evaluation criteria is the most important step in proposal development. Your entire proposal strategy should be built around maximizing your scores on the highest-weighted criteria. Every section of your proposal should explicitly address the relevant evaluation factors and provide evidence that supports the highest possible rating.