A request for qualifications asks firms to submit experience, staff credentials, and other information for a procurement evaluation or shortlist.
Definition
A Request for Qualifications, or RFQ, is a procurement document asking firms to describe qualifications relevant to a project or service need. It may request project examples, staff credentials, team structure, capacity, and a proposed approach, then use that information to shortlist or select firms. The solicitation defines the evaluation criteria, submission format, and next steps. Because buyers use the term differently, an RFQ may be followed by interviews, a request for proposals, or fee negotiations. It is not always a request for a price, and the acronym can mean something else in other purchasing settings. For owners, the document should be read closely before estimating response effort or deciding whether to pursue. Federal architecture and engineering solicitations may use qualifications procedures under FAR Part 36, while local processes can have different rules. A strong response addresses the stated criteria and accurately presents the firm's relevant work.
How owners use it
- Compare each RFQ criterion with the firm's project record, team, and available capacity.
- Record deadlines, required forms, page limits, interview stages, and any later pricing step.
- Example: 6 staff hours for project sheets + 4 hours for review = 10 hours of RFQ preparation.
- Use a go or no-go review to weigh response effort against fit and staffing.
