Want to know what federal evaluators really care about? They’re not looking to be dazzled—they’re looking to check boxes and reduce risk. If your proposal doesn’t map to their evaluation criteria exactly, you’re not getting the award, no matter how clever your graphics are or how long your past performance list is.
This checklist breaks down what federal reviewers are trained to spot. Use it as a pre-submission gut check, because if you don’t find the holes in your proposal, they will.
✅ 1. Responsiveness to the RFP
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Did you answer every requirement in the RFP, in the order they were asked?
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Are all required volumes, appendices, and certifications included?
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Does your Table of Contents map directly to the Evaluation Criteria?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “If I can’t find it in under 10 seconds, you didn’t answer it.”
✅ 2. Technical Approach That Matches the Problem
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Is your solution tailored to this agency—not a warmed-over template?
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Does it reference agency-specific goals, policies, and terminology?
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Are you solving their problem or just describing your process?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “Do they actually understand what we do here?”
✅ 3. Credible Staffing and Management Plan
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Are named key personnel qualified and committed?
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Is the org chart clean, with clear reporting lines and roles?
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Does the staffing plan align with the work breakdown?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “Can this team actually execute what they’re proposing?”
✅ 4. Risk Management That Doesn’t Sound Made Up
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Is there a risk matrix with actual risks (not just filler)?
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Are mitigation strategies realistic and proactive?
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Did you acknowledge technical, schedule, and mission risks?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “They either don’t see the risks—or they’re afraid to admit them. Neither is good.”
✅ 5. Past Performance That Proves It
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Are examples relevant in size, scope, and complexity?
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Did you include specific results, not vague claims?
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Are CPARS or POCs included if allowed?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “If they’ve done this before, show me. If not, why should I trust them?”
✅ 6. Compliance and Presentation
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Did you stay within page limits, font sizes, and formatting rules?
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Are headers, footers, and TOC updated and accurate?
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Are graphics legible in grayscale (because yes, some still print them)?
Evaluator Thought Bubble: “Don’t make me work to figure out what you’re trying to say.”
Final Word
Federal proposal evaluation isn’t a mystery—it’s a scoring process. If your proposal helps the evaluator say “yes” faster and with fewer questions, you’re ahead of the game. Use this checklist to review before submission—and let someone not involved in writing it read it like an evaluator. At GovITWorks, we’ve been in the evaluator’s seat. Let us help you get it right before it lands in theirs.