What is a presolicitation notice?
As of 12 November 2026: A presolicitation notice is a notice on SAM.gov (the Governmentwide point of entry) that tells industry the Government intends to issue a solicitation. Under FAR 5.204 the contracting officer must synopsize a proposed contract action before issuing the solicitation, and FAR 5.203(a) requires the notice at least 15 days before the solicitation is issued, with shorter periods allowed for commercial products or services.
Updated , checked against the official sources below.
What do the official sources say?
| Source | What it says | Read |
|---|---|---|
| FAR 5.204 Presolicitation notices | "The contracting officer must synopsize a proposed contract action before issuing any resulting solicitation (see 5.201 and 5.203)." | |
| FAR 5.203 Publicizing and response time | "The notice must be published at least 15 days before issuance of a solicitation" | |
| FAR Overhaul (RFO) Part 5, 5.001 Definitions | "Presolicitation notice means a notice used to notify industry and the public that the Government intends to release a solicitation in the near future." |
Questions people also ask
- What is a combined synopsis/solicitation?
- It is a single notice, used for commercial products or commercial services, that combines the synopsis and the solicitation in one document. The notice states that it is the only solicitation and that a separate written solicitation will not be issued, and no separate 15-day synopsis is needed.
- How long do I have to respond to a federal solicitation?
- The due date is set in each solicitation. The FAR sets minimums: a notice at least 15 days before a solicitation is issued, at least 30 days to respond to solicitations expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (except commercial products or services), and at least 45 days for research and development above that threshold. For commercial products or services, and for actions over $25,000 up to the threshold, the contracting officer sets a response time that gives a reasonable opportunity to respond.
- What are the simplified acquisition threshold and the micro-purchase threshold?
- Under FAR 2.101 the micro-purchase threshold is $15,000 and the simplified acquisition threshold is $350,000. Exceptions apply: the micro-purchase threshold is $2,000 for construction subject to Davis-Bacon wage rules and $2,500 for services subject to the Service Contract Labor Standards, and both thresholds are higher for contingency, emergency and similar purchases.
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This page restates official sources; it is not legal advice. Bid Watch US is run by Bikoosh, an independent tracker, not affiliated with SAM.gov or the US government.