Evaluation Criteria

The published standards and factors that government evaluators use to assess and score contractor proposals.

Evaluation criteria are the standards by which the government assesses proposals. FAR Part 15 requires agencies to publish their evaluation factors and significant subfactors in the solicitation, along with their relative importance.

Common Evaluation Factors

Most government proposals are evaluated on Technical Approach (your methodology and solution), Management Approach (team qualifications, staffing, project management), Past Performance (relevant contract history), and Price/Cost (your proposed pricing).

Evaluation Ratings

Agencies typically rate proposals using an adjectival scale such as Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Unacceptable. Some use color ratings (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red). Understanding the rating criteria helps you target the highest possible scores.

Writing to Evaluation Criteria

The most effective proposals are organized around the evaluation criteria, not just the SOW structure. Each section should clearly demonstrate how your approach earns the highest rating. ProposalApp helps identify and highlight evaluation criteria so you can structure your response for maximum score.