Postaward Debriefings Under FAR 15.506: Step-by-Step Guide
When you submit a proposal for a negotiated federal project and do not win the job, the procurement process does not end with the notice of award. Requesting a formal postaward debriefing gives your estimating team direct feedback on how the government evaluated your proposal and why another firm was selected. Under FAR 15.506, federal agencies are legally required to provide specific evaluation details when an offeror submits a prompt, written request. Here is how to navigate the postaward debriefing process step by step.
Step 1: Deliver Your Written Request Within 3 Days
Timing is critical when seeking debriefing information from the contracting office. Under FAR 15.506(a)(1), an offeror must ensure its written request is received by the agency within 3 days after the date the offeror receives the contract award notification under 15.503(b). Meeting this deadline creates a mandatory duty for the government: the agency shall debrief the offeror and provide the basis for the selection decision and award.
If you fail to meet the 3-day cutoff, your rights change significantly. An offeror notified of exclusion from competition under 15.505(a) that fails to file a timely request has no entitlement to a debriefing under FAR 15.506(a)(3). While agencies have discretion under FAR 15.506(a)(4)(i) to accommodate untimely requests, that voluntary accommodation does not automatically extend your deadlines for filing bid challenges. Understanding these boundaries is critical if you are also tracking agency-level bid protests (FAR 33.103) or broader GAO bid protest deadlines.
Step 2: Anticipate Scheduling and the Debriefing Format
Once your timely written request is logged, FAR 15.506(a)(2) states that the debriefing should take place within 5 days after receipt of the request to the maximum extent practicable. This same 5-day scheduling target applies to offerors who previously asked for a postaward debriefing instead of a preaward debriefing, as well as offerors whose debriefings were postponed past award for compelling agency reasons.
Under FAR 15.506(b), the debriefing can be conducted orally, in writing, or via any other delivery method acceptable to the contracting officer. When a formal session is convened, the contracting officer should normally chair the meeting, and individuals who evaluated the proposals shall provide technical support pursuant to FAR 15.506(c).
Step 3: Review the Mandatory Disclosures the Agency Must Provide
Federal procurement regulations establish specific baselines for what information an agency must release. According to FAR 15.506(d), the debriefing information provided to your firm must include, at a minimum, the following six items:
- The agency's evaluation of significant weaknesses or deficiencies identified in your proposal, if applicable.
- The overall evaluated cost or price (including unit prices) and technical rating of both the successful offeror and your firm, as well as past performance information evaluated for your firm.
- The overall ranking of all offerors, provided the agency developed a ranking during source selection.
- A summary of the rationale supporting the contract award.
- For acquisitions involving commercial products, the specific make and model of the product the successful offeror will deliver.
- Reasonable responses to relevant questions regarding whether source selection procedures set forth in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other governing authorities were followed.
Step 4: Recognize Information Prohibited from Disclosure
While the disclosure list is comprehensive, the regulations strictly restrict what an agency may share about competing firms. Under FAR 15.506(e), a debriefing cannot include point-by-point comparisons between your proposal and those submitted by other offerors. The agency cannot walk line-by-line through a competitor's technical approach to show where yours differed.
Furthermore, the government is prohibited from revealing information barred from disclosure by 24.202 or exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). Specifically, the contracting officer cannot release:
- Trade secrets.
- Privileged or confidential manufacturing processes and techniques.
- Privileged or confidential commercial and financial information, such as cost breakdowns, profit figures, indirect cost rates, and similar data.
- The names of specific individuals who provided past performance reference feedback about an offeror.
Step 5: Verify the Contract File Documentation
To conclude the process, FAR 15.506(f) mandates that the government include an official summary of the debriefing session in the contract file. This written documentation serves as the formal administrative record of the exchange, confirming the disclosures made, the questions answered, and the date the debriefing concluded.
Sources
FAR 15.506 Postaward debriefing of offerors. | Acquisition.GOV
Published November 9, 2026. No affiliate links on this page. Facts come from the sources linked above; check them for updates.