Request for Information (RFI)
A market-research solicitation — the agency asks vendors for information but does not yet plan to award a contract.
Definition
A Request for Information (RFI) is a pre-solicitation document used by an agency to gather information about vendor capabilities, available products, pricing ranges, or how the market typically structures a service. An RFI is not a contract opportunity — vendors who respond are not making binding offers, and the agency makes no commitment to award. RFIs are commonly used to inform later RFP development: the agency learns what is technically feasible and how the market prices it, then writes a sharper RFP.
When it applies
Vendors should respond to RFIs that match their offerings even though there is no immediate contract — RFIs signal future RFPs in the same domain, and influential RFI responses can shape the eventual solicitation in your favor. Agencies use RFIs when entering a new technology area, considering a major reorganization of a service, or trying to gauge whether a small-business set-aside is feasible.
Examples
- "RFI for cloud migration services" — agency exploring options before issuing an RFP next fiscal year.
- "RFI for vendor input on draft Statement of Work" — agency wants industry feedback before finalizing requirements.