Market research is the structured practice of collecting and analyzing information about industry capabilities to meet agency
needs. FAR Part 10 requires agencies to conduct market research appropriate to the circumstances before developing new requirements
or solicitations. Methods include RFIs, Sources Sought Notices, vendor engagements, and review of prior acquisitions. Effective
research informs acquisition planning, contract type selection, set-aside decisions, and performance standards. For industry,
understanding how agencies conduct market research helps shape capture activities and timing; educating the customer early can
influence requirements and evaluation factors. Documented market research also reduces protest risk by showing a rational basis
for acquisition decisions.
Market Research (FAR Part 10)
Systematic process for understanding available products, services, and industry capabilities.
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Thirty to forty questions. Sometimes a hundred. Capabilities, features, integrations, data handling, FAR and DFARS compliance, export controls, FedRAMP, CMMC, NIST. Almost every answer already exists somewhere in your organisation, written well, reviewed, and approved. The work is not thinking. The work is finding the good version of an answer you have written eleven times before, and rewriting it to fit the way this buyer asked the question.
An independent 3PAO auditor and VisibleThread founders explain CMMC, FedRAMP, and compliance deployment options for federal contractors.
Layer on Davis-Bacon wage provisions, DBE and MBE participation goals, Buy America requirements on federally funded infrastructure, and CUI handling on defense installations, and the document burden bears no resemblance to a commercial RFP. Most proposal software was built to answer questionnaires. AEC teams must dissect solicitations, demonstrate compliance, and carry commitments into delivery.
Related Glossary Terms
The official compilation of permanent U.S. federal laws, providing the statutory basis for many contracting requirements.
A global classification system used to categorize products and services for procurement and spend analysis.
A unique 12-character identifier assigned via SAM.gov to organizations doing business with the federal government, replacing the DUNS number.
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t your RFP process.
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