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Short answer
A request for information (RFI) is a buyer’s way of collecting price, delivery, capability and other market information before deciding how to buy. Under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the buyer does not intend to award a contract from it, responses are not offers, and “there is no required format for RFIs.” A template is therefore a convention, not a rule; what follows is an outline whose every field traces to the FAR text.
Definition and scope
FAR 15.201(e) says RFIs “may be used when the Government does not presently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information, or capabilities for planning purposes.” It adds that responses “are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.”
The RFI sits in the early, pre-solicitation stage. FAR 15.201(c) lists it as one of nine techniques for early exchanges of information, alongside industry conferences, public hearings, market research, one-on-one meetings, presolicitation notices, draft RFPs, preproposal conferences and site visits. The FAR describes the purpose of these exchanges as improving “the understanding of Government requirements and industry capabilities” so that potential offerors can judge whether and how they can meet the requirement.
This guide is grounded in US federal rules. Outside federal procurement, institutions set their own RFI practice, and the FAR text is a reference point rather than a binding standard. For the next stage, see the request for proposal (RFP) definition.
How an RFI is used in practice
The FAR itself supplies only one piece of prescribed RFI wording. Clause 52.215-3, “Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes,” contains three paragraphs:
- Paragraph (a): the Government “does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited,” except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in FAR 31.205-18 (bid and proposal costs).
- Paragraph (b): although “proposal” and “offeror” are used, “your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.”
- Paragraph (c): the only fill-in, “This solicitation is issued for the purpose of:” followed by a statement of purpose.
Market research under FAR 10.002 is the wider activity an RFI can serve. That section states that “acquisitions begin with a description of the Government’s needs” and that market research “involves obtaining information specific to the product or service being acquired.” One listed technique is “publishing formal requests for information in appropriate technical or scientific journals or business publications.”
RFI template: field-by-field outline
Because the FAR sets no format, the outline below is a working structure, not a mandated form. Each row is tied to the paragraph that supports it.
| Template section | What it asks or states | FAR basis |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose statement | Why the notice is issued, in one sentence | 52.215-3(c) |
| Non-commitment notice | No contract will be awarded on the basis of the notice; no payment for the information | 52.215-3(a); 15.201(e) |
| Status of responses | Responses are information only, not proposals or offers, and cannot form a binding contract | 52.215-3(b); 15.201(e) |
| Price and delivery questions | Price and delivery information, for planning | 15.201(e) |
| Capability questions | What the respondent can do against the requirement | 15.201(b), (e) |
| Strategy and terms questions | Feedback on contract type, terms and conditions, schedule, feasibility of the requirement, evaluation criteria, availability of reference documents | 15.201(c) |
Worked example: planning an equipment purchase
Take a laboratory or clinic that is considering replacing a piece of shared equipment but has not settled the specification. An RFI fits the “planning purposes” language: the buyer describes the need, states the purpose, and asks respondents about capabilities, delivery and the terms they would expect. Nothing is awarded from the responses. What comes back informs the specification, the evaluation criteria and the choice of solicitation type, which is where documents such as the autoclave RFP requirements and vendor selection criteria come in. Federal rules apply directly only to federal acquisitions; for other buyers this sequence is an illustration, and no required format exists.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
- Fairness once a solicitation is out. FAR 15.201(f) says that after release of a solicitation “the contracting officer must be the focal point of any exchange with potential offerors.” Specific information given to one potential offeror that is needed to prepare proposals must be made public as soon as practicable, and an offeror’s confidential business strategy must not be disclosed. The rule is stated for exchanges after a solicitation is released, not for the RFI itself.
- Cost to respondents. Clause 52.215-3(a) says the Government will not pay for the information, other than as an allowable cost under other contracts (FAR 31.205-18). Respondents decide how much effort a reply deserves.
- What comes next. Purchasing routes that follow, such as joint buying, are covered in cooperative purchasing agreements under 2 CFR 200.318(e), and later supplier tracking in vendor scorecard metrics.
Common misunderstandings
- “An RFI is a bid.” It is not. Responses are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a binding contract (FAR 15.201(e)).
- “There is a standard RFI form.” There is not. The FAR states there is no required format; only the 52.215-3 provision is prescribed text, and it has a single blank for the purpose.
- “A good RFI response wins the work.” The RFI itself carries no award. Any contract would follow a separate solicitation.
- “An RFI is the same as an RFP.” The RFI gathers information with no award intended; a solicitation for proposals is a separate step.
Frequently asked questions
What is a request for information (RFI) template?
It is a working outline of the items a buyer includes in an RFI: a purpose statement, a notice that no award is intended, the status of responses, and questions on price, delivery and capability. The FAR states that “there is no required format for RFIs,” so any template is a convention.
Does an RFI commit the buyer to award a contract?
No. Under FAR 52.215-3(a) the Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of the notice, and under 15.201(e) responses are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a binding contract.
Is an RFI response a proposal?
No. FAR 52.215-3(b) says the response will be treated as information only and shall not be used as a proposal.
Are respondents paid for an RFI response?
Not directly. FAR 52.215-3(a) says the Government does not intend to pay for the information solicited, except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in FAR 31.205-18.
Is an RFI the same as an RFP?
No. An RFI gathers information with no award intended; a solicitation for proposals is a separate step. See the request for proposal (RFP) definition.
Sources
All checked 2026-10-29.
- FAR 15.201, “Exchanges with industry before receipt of proposals”: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.201
- FAR 52.215-3, “Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997)”: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.215-3
- FAR 10.002, “Procedures” (market research): https://www.acquisition.gov/far/10.002
