← Back to shelf

Desk reference

Postaward notices and the three-day debriefing request

The unsuccessful-offeror notice and the three-day window to request a required postaward under FAR Part 15.

1 / 1

Required postaward debriefing request

FAR 15.503(b) generally requires written postaward notice within three days after award to each offeror whose proposal was in the competitive range but was not selected — identifying the competition and award and giving general reasons for nonselection while protecting confidential business information. Receipt of that notice starts the clock for a required postaward debriefing under FAR 15.506(a): the agency must receive the written debriefing request within three days after the offeror receives the notice. Record the date and time the notice was received, send the written debrief request within that window, and confirm whether the acquisition actually uses FAR 15.506 debriefing rules — not every federal acquisition method carries a required Part 15 debriefing.

Watch for

Don’t confuse the notice with the debriefing. The notice does not entitle the loser to the awardee’s proposal, cost buildup, profit, or indirect rates. An oral request or a request filed only inside ’s ordinary ten-day period does not preserve the FAR 15.506 entitlement.

Further reading