Request for Proposals (RFP) Fatal Flaws

Recently, the Council members reviewed our RFP process and decided to strengthen the review process by enforcing existing requirements. These requirements have been in our RFPs for several years, but they were not treated as mandatory criteria.

By enforcing these requirements, FDDC is providing a level playing field for proposals, allowing our reviewers to focus on content rather than proposals’ format or style elements.

What are fatal flaws? Fatal flaws is a more common term used to describe mandatory responsiveness requirements. These requirements must be met in order for the proposal to be accepted and evaluated for possible funding.

Fatal Flaws Every RFP we release will have this Fatal Flaw checklist attached. Each requirement is listed with the section of the RFP that relates to it. Required Proposal Content PLEASE SEE RFP 1Funds requested must be in identified range of available funding Section 1 #5, (F) 2Must include adequate and allowable match Section 1 #5, (F) 3Must include proposed line item budget in format provided Section 1 #5, (F) 4Must include 3 references, references must be within last 5 years Section 1 #5, (G) RFP Submission Instructions 5Must include RFP Acknowledgement form Section 2 #4 6Must include completed RFP title page Section 2 #5 7Must be delivered sealed, clearly marked with RFP number and title Section 2 #6, (1) 8Proposal may not exceed listed page limit Section 2 #6, (2) 9Must have numbered pages Section 2 #6, (2) 10Must have 1” margins Section 2 #6, (2) 11Must be 1.5 spaced Section 2 #6, (2) 12Cannot be larger than letter-sized (8 ½” x 11”) Section 2 #6, (2) 13Must be printed on one side only Section 2 #6, (2) 14Must be in Times New Roman font size 12 Section 2 #6, (2) 15All attachments and exhibits must be letter-sized (8 ½” x 11”) Section 2 #6, (2) 16Must be unbound, collated, and include a Table of Contents with each section clearly labeled with the appropriate heading Section 2 #6, (3) 17One copy of proposal must have original signature in blue ink and marked as “Original” Section 2 #6, (4) 18Must submit one original and 9 copies Section 2 #6, (4) 19Electronic version of the proposal must be submitted on a CD or a USB flash drive Section 2 #6, (4) 20Must submit items in specific order as detailed in RFP Section 2 #6, (5) 21Must be received by stated time and date Section 2 #9 Forms 22Must submit required certifications with original signature in blue ink Section 5 Forms 1-3

The Process 1.When submitting a proposal in response to a FDDC RFP, you must ensure you have met all the mandatory requirements listed in the checklist as well as provide sufficient information to address the content requirements of the RFP. 2.Once we receive your proposal, our staff member will open them according to the Schedule and Deadlines set forth in the RFP.

3.Once opened, our staff member will do a review of the proposal to ensure it has met the mandatory requirements. 4.If your proposal has met the requirements, it will be considered responsive and will be included in the selection committee’s review process.

5.If your proposal is missing any one of the identified required elements, you will receive a notification letter via US Mail to the address listed in the RFP. 6.The Notification letter will give you a ten (10) day deadline in which to correct the flaw. You may not alter in any way the content of the original proposal. Any revision or supplementation of the content of the originally submitted proposal will cause FDDC to reject it as unresponsive.

7.If FDDC receives the modified proposal within the deadline stated in the Notification letter, our staff member will again review it to ensure it meets the mandatory requirements. If it does, it will be considered responsive and included in the selection committee’s review. If it does not, it will be rejected as unresponsive.

Questions? We are creating a Frequently Asked Questions section on the Funding Opportunities page of our website ( for general questions and answers on our RFP process. You may also submit specific questions during the Question and Answer period for each RFP.