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What Is a Sources Sought Notice?
Definition: A sources sought notice is a market research notice a federal agency posts on SAM.gov to learn which businesses can do a job before it decides how to buy it, including whether to set it aside for small businesses. It is not a solicitation, no contract is awarded from it, and responding is voluntary.
Término en español: aviso de búsqueda de fuentes (sources sought). Resumen: es un estudio de mercado que una agencia federal publica en SAM.gov para saber qué empresas pueden hacer un trabajo. No es una solicitud de ofertas y responder es voluntario, pero su respuesta puede ayudar a que el contrato se reserve para pequeñas empresas.
Key facts - Market research is required by FAR Part 10 before new requirements and before buys above the simplified acquisition threshold, $350,000 (effective Oct 1, 2025, FAR 2.101). - A response is not an offer, and the government cannot accept it to form a contract (FAR 15.201). - Responses often feed the "rule of two" set-aside decision (FAR Part 19; 13 CFR 125.2). - The FAR is being rewritten (the "Revolutionary FAR Overhaul"). Agencies use class deviations with rewritten parts, so check the FAR overhaul page for the version your agency follows. - Each notice sets its own deadline and page limit. Two to ten pages is common.
Why do agencies post sources sought notices? The rule of two
Many notices exist to answer one question: are there enough capable small businesses to reserve this contract for them? Under the rule of two, a contracting officer sets aside a contract above the micro-purchase threshold ($15,000, effective Oct 1, 2025) for small businesses when they reasonably expect offers from at least two responsible small businesses at fair market prices, quality, and delivery.
Your response is part of the evidence. If too few capable small businesses respond, the work may go out as full and open competition, where small firms compete against large ones. That is why most notices do not name a set-aside yet: deciding is the point. A response does not guarantee a set-aside; the contracting officer decides.
How is a sources sought notice different from an RFI, RFQ, or RFP?
| Notice | What it is | Can a contract come from it? | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sources sought | Market research: who can do this work? | No | Send a short capability response |
| RFI (request for information) | Market research on capabilities, approaches, sometimes rough prices | No; responses are not offers | Answer the questions asked |
| Presolicitation | Notice that a solicitation is coming | No | Get ready, watch for it |
| RFQ (request for quotation) | Request for quotes, common in simplified acquisitions | Yes, an order can follow | Decide and quote by the deadline |
| RFP (request for proposals) | Formal request for proposals, evaluated against stated factors | Yes | Decide and submit a full proposal |
In practice, SAM.gov has no separate RFI notice type, so many RFIs are posted as sources sought or special notices. The questions matter more than the label. See RFI vs RFQ vs RFP.
Do you have to respond to bid later?
Generally, no. No FAR rule makes a response a condition of bidding, and many notices say so. But if you do not respond, the agency cannot count you when it decides whether to set the work aside. Contracting officers also search SBA's Small Business Search, which draws on SAM.gov profiles, so a complete SAM registration helps even when you miss a notice.
What do sources sought notices usually ask for?
- Legal name, address, UEI, and CAGE code as in SAM.gov
- Business size under the NAICS code in the notice, and socioeconomic status
- Answers to specific questions about how you would do the work
- Two or three similar projects
- A capability statement (see capability statement)
- Sometimes: teaming plans, contract vehicles, or a suggested NAICS code
How do you respond to a sources sought notice? Seven steps
- Check fit. Note the NAICS code, place of performance, and deadline. Confirm you are small under that code and could do the work or a meaningful part of it.
- Header. "Response to Sources Sought Notice," the notice title and number exactly as on SAM.gov, the agency and office, the contact, and the date.
- Company data. Legal name and address as in SAM.gov, UEI, CAGE code, a named contact, and your size under the notice's NAICS code (for example, "Small under NAICS 561730"). List only certifications you hold. Pending does not mean certified.
- Interest statement. One sentence saying you intend to submit an offer if a solicitation is issued, if that is true. The rule of two turns on expected offers.
- Answers in order. Use the notice's numbering and words. Be specific about staff, equipment, locations, and approach.
- Similar work. Two or three projects closest in scope and size: federal first if you have it, then state, local, or commercial. Give the customer, dates, size, and why it is similar. If it is the owner's experience, label it.
- Attach and send. Attach a tailored capability statement if allowed, check whether it counts toward the page limit, and send a PDF named with the notice number and your company name to the named contact before the deadline. No pricing unless asked.
A real example: what F2M Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA submitted
F2M Consulting LLC has responded to two federal sources sought notices for program management support: - U.S. Census Bureau, 2030 Decennial Program Management Support (notice 26-4699) - U.S. Coast Guard, FD&I Project Management Support (notice 70ZH01IFDIPMSS)
These were responses submitted as market research. They are not contracts, offers, or awards, and the agencies decide what happens next. F2M has no federal contracts yet, so any experience it presents is labeled as its founder's own work history (see past performance).
How does this work for a trade business?
Sources sought notices are not just for consultants. Defense installations and civilian agencies regularly post them for janitorial, grounds maintenance, snow removal, construction, and moving services. A landscaping company that keeps two crews on a 14-acre office park can answer "describe your capacity to maintain 18 acres weekly" with exact acreage, crew counts, equipment, and dates. That specific answer is what a contracting officer can use.
How does Virginia handle market research?
Virginia's eVA portal does not use the "sources sought" label. State agencies and localities do their market research mostly through RFIs posted on eVA, and sometimes through pre-proposal conferences. Responding works the same way: answer the questions, show similar work, and state your eVA registration status and NIGP commodity codes. eVA supplier registration is free. The Virginia APEX Accelerator, run by George Mason University, is a free resource for help reading notices and reviewing responses.
What mistakes should you avoid?
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Sending only a capability statement | Answer each question, then attach it as support |
| Generic marketing copy | Use the notice's words and order |
| Going over the page limit | Stay under it, attachments included if they count |
| Leaving out size under the notice NAICS | State it plainly with the code |
| Listing a pending or expired certification | List only what you hold today |
| Treating it like a proposal | No pricing or sales copy unless asked |
| Missing the deadline or inbox | Send early, to the contact named |
What happens after you respond?
Usually nothing you can see; many notices say respondents will not be notified. Next you may see a small business set-aside, a full and open solicitation, another round of market research, or nothing at all. Keep watching the notice on SAM.gov, follow the agency's other notices under the same NAICS code, and send your capability statement to its small business office.
How do you find sources sought notices?
On SAM.gov Contract Opportunities, filter by notice type "Sources Sought," add your NAICS codes and state, and save the search to get email alerts. For Virginia, set eVA notifications for your NIGP commodity codes.
If you're a prime contractor
Primes respond too, and they read the market signal: a sources sought notice that leads to a set-aside may mean you need small business teaming partners. Track which small firms respond in your trades.
How F2M helps
F2M Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA provides contract management and bid strategy for trade businesses in Virginia, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia: landscaping, janitorial, construction, transportation, and restoration. We help owners get bid-ready, read solicitations, organize registrations and compliance documents (OSHA, licensing), and plan subcontracting with prime contractors, with your crew doing the work. English or Spanish. We help trade businesses find sources sought notices in their NAICS codes and organize a response that answers every question in order. See GovCon Launch for getting bid-ready, and program management for federal and state agencies for the kind of work F2M has responded to.
FAQ
Is a sources sought notice the same as an RFP?
No. A sources sought notice is market research. It asks which businesses can do the work and does not request proposals or prices. No contract is awarded from it. An RFP is a formal request for proposals that leads to an evaluation and a contract.
Do I have to respond to a sources sought notice to bid later?
Generally no. Responding is voluntary, and many notices say not responding does not stop you from bidding. But if you skip it, the agency cannot count your business when it decides whether to set the contract aside for small businesses.
What should a sources sought response include?
Your legal name, UEI, CAGE code, and size under the notice's NAICS code; a sentence saying you intend to offer if that is true; an answer to every question in order; two or three similar projects; and a tailored capability statement if allowed, within the page limit.
What is the rule of two?
The rule of two means a contracting officer sets a contract aside for small businesses when they reasonably expect offers from at least two responsible small businesses at fair market prices. Sources sought responses are part of the evidence for that decision.
Should I include prices in a sources sought response?
Only if the notice asks. Some RFI-style notices request rough pricing for planning. Otherwise leave prices out. A response is information only, not an offer, and the government cannot accept it to form a contract.
Will the agency tell me if my response made a difference?
Usually not. Many notices say respondents will not be notified. Watch SAM.gov for a presolicitation or solicitation for the same work, which shows how the agency decided to buy.
Related terms
- RFI vs RFQ vs RFP
- Capability statement
- Past performance
- Small business set-aside
- NAICS codes
- eVA
Official sources
- FAR Part 10, Market Research: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-10
- FAR Part 19, Small Business Programs: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-19
- FAR 15.201, Exchanges with industry before receipt of proposals: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/15.201
- FAR 2.101, Definitions (micro-purchase and simplified acquisition thresholds): https://www.acquisition.gov/far/2.101
- FAR Overhaul: https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul
- 13 CFR 125.2: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-125/section-125.2
- SAM.gov Contract Opportunities: https://sam.gov
- eVA (Virginia): https://eva.virginia.gov
Educational information only, from F2M Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source. Last reviewed: Oct 19, 2026 by Franklin F. Montano, PMP, CEO and Founder, F2M Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA.
About the author: Franklin F. Montano, PMP, CEO and Founder, F2M Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA. Retired Army Officer, Former Pentagon Senior Program Manager (DoD), and disabled veteran. Bilingual in English and Spanish.