BAFO

When an agency opens discussions after reviewing initial proposals, it must issue a written request for Final Proposal Revisions (called BAFOs in practice) before making an award. This gives all competitive offerors one last opportunity to sharpen their proposals.

What changes in a BAFO:

• Price — The most common revision. Agencies often signal that price is a differentiator during discussions.
• Technical approach — You can strengthen your approach, address weaknesses identified in discussions, or revise your staffing plan.
• Past performance — Additional references or clarifications may be included if permitted.

Key strategy points:

• Agencies are not required to open discussions — they can award on initial proposals without issuing a BAFO. Never assume you'll get a second chance.
• If discussions are opened, they must be held with all offerors in the competitive range, not just the front-runner.
• BAFO requests will include a deadline and instructions on what may be revised. Read them carefully — submitting changes beyond what's requested can be non-compliant.
• Lowering your price in a BAFO is a one-way door. Make sure the number is still profitable before cutting.
• If you received evaluation feedback during discussions, address every weakness or deficiency explicitly. Agencies document whether each concern was resolved.

Per FAR 15.307, after BAFOs are received, the agency evaluates final proposals and makes the source selection decision. No further revisions are permitted unless the agency reopens discussions — which is rare.