How long does it take to win a government contract?
From identifying an opportunity to receiving an award typically takes 60-180 days for federal RFPs, 30-90 days for state and local RFPs, and 7-30 days for simplified acquisitions. Larger or more complex procurements can take 6-18 months.
Government contract timelines vary by procurement method and dollar value:
For simplified acquisitions (under the SAT, ~$250K federal), the timeline is usually 2-6 weeks: agencies post an RFQ, give vendors 7-15 days to respond, evaluate quotes, and award.
For state and local RFPs, expect 30-90 days from solicitation issuance to award. RFP response time is typically 30 days; evaluation is another 2-4 weeks; award and contract negotiation add a few more weeks.
For federal RFPs above the SAT, the standard timeline is 60-180 days. RFP response time is typically 30-45 days; evaluation through award is another 60-120 days. Major procurements (multi-billion-dollar contracts, complex IT systems, defense programs) routinely take 12-24 months.
For IDIQ task orders against an existing vehicle, the timeline is dramatically shorter — task orders can be awarded in days or weeks because the underlying contract is already in place.
Practical advice: do not assume award means immediate work. Post-award, expect another 2-4 weeks for kickoff. Plan staffing, financing, and capacity assuming a 60-90 day lag between bid submission and actual project start on any non-trivial contract.