Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS)
The federal system where contracting officers rate contractor performance after the contract — these ratings are the primary input to past-performance evaluations on future bids.
Definition
CPARS records the contracting officer's formal evaluation of how the contractor performed. Ratings are typically given on a five-point scale (Exceptional, Very Good, Satisfactory, Marginal, Unsatisfactory) across multiple dimensions including quality, schedule, cost control, management, small-business utilization, and regulatory compliance. CPARS ratings flow into the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS), which is queried during evaluation of future RFPs.
When it applies
Required on federal contracts over $250K for services and $750K for construction. Lower thresholds for some procurement types. Contractors can review and respond to CPARS ratings within 14 days; thoughtful responses to inaccurate ratings can preserve past performance for future competitions.