How to respond to a sources sought notice (with a template)
A sources sought notice is the government asking, in public, "who out there can do this?" It is not a solicitation and nobody wins a contract by answering it. It may still be the most valuable two pages you write all quarter, because your answer helps decide how the eventual contract is competed, including whether it is set aside for small businesses. There are 301 open sources sought and RFI notices on our sources sought page right now, and 256 of them have no set-aside decided yet.
Why agencies post them
Before buying, contracting officers must do market research (FAR Part 10). A sources sought notice is one of the main tools for it. The agency uses the responses to:
- Decide whether to set the work aside for small businesses or a socioeconomic program (the rule of two).
- Pick the NAICS code, contract type and how to package the work.
- Find out whether a commercial product or service already exists.
If only one small business replies, the contracting officer has little evidence for a set-aside. If several capable small businesses reply, a set-aside becomes much easier to justify.
Should you respond?
Respond when the work is in your lane and you would realistically bid. Skip it if you would never compete. A weak response can hurt a set-aside case as much as no response at all. If the work is a stretch, consider replying together with a teaming partner (see our teaming guide).
What to include
Always follow the notice's own instructions first. Answer every question it asks, in the order it asks them, within any page limit. Beyond that, a strong response usually covers:
- Company basics: legal name, Unique Entity ID (UEI), CAGE code, address, point of contact.
- Size and status: that you are small under the notice's NAICS code, and any SBA certifications (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB/EDWOSB). Certifications are checked in SAM.gov and the SBA Small Business Search, so make sure yours are current.
- Capability, mapped to their requirement: walk through the statement of work task by task and say how you would do each one. Do not paste a generic capability statement.
- Relevant past performance: two or three similar jobs with customer, contract number, value, dates and scope.
- How you would perform: what you self-perform versus subcontract. This matters for the limitations on subcontracting on set-asides.
- Helpful feedback: if a requirement would shut small firms out (an oversized bundle, an unusual certification, an unrealistic timeline), say so politely and suggest an alternative.
- Your intent: state clearly that you intend to submit an offer if the work is solicited.
Copy-paste template
Common mistakes
- Sending a brochure instead of answering the questions.
- Missing the deadline. Many notices give only a week or two.
- Forgetting the notice ID and title in the subject line.
- Claiming a certification you do not hold yet.
- Never following up. After responding, watch for the presolicitation or solicitation. A saved search on SAM.gov for the notice ID or the office catches it.
Where to find them
On SAM.gov, filter Notice Type to "Sources Sought" (some agencies also post RFIs as Special Notices). Or use our sources sought page, which combines both and updates every weekday. The bids page also has a notice-type filter. Free help writing responses is available from your local APEX Accelerator.
What a strong capability answer looks like
Compare a generic line ("We provide full-service facilities maintenance") with a mapped one:
The second version gives the contracting officer evidence they can cite in their market research memo. Repeat that pattern for each major task.
What happens after you respond
Usually nothing you can see right away. The contracting officer reviews responses, documents the market research and decides the strategy. You might next see a presolicitation, a draft solicitation, an industry day or the final solicitation, sometimes months later. Some notices also invite one-on-one sessions. Track the notice ID, and watch the bids page and the agency's page (for example the Department of Defense) for follow-ups. If the solicitation comes out unrestricted even though several small businesses responded, you can raise it politely with the agency's small business specialist before the solicitation closes.
Do RFIs work the same way?
Mostly. A request for information (RFI) is also market research. Some agencies use "RFI" and "sources sought" interchangeably, while others use RFIs to ask about technical approaches or draft requirements. Our sources sought page includes RFIs posted as special notices.
When you have found a few good fits, keep the pipeline full: browse all 1,234 open notices, check what closes this week and watch the 2,137 contracts coming up for recompete.
Frequently asked questions
Is a sources sought notice a solicitation?
No. It is market research. No contract is awarded from it, and responding is optional, but responses influence how the agency competes the eventual contract.
How long should a sources sought response be?
Follow any page limit in the notice. If none is given, two to five focused pages that answer each question is typical.
Can responding to a sources sought get a contract set aside?
It can help. Contracting officers set aside work when market research shows two or more capable small businesses are likely to bid at fair prices, and sources sought responses are a key part of that research.