Use public records to understand how the winning firm prevailed.

Start with the government agency, solicitation or contract, and the question you want answered. If you know the solicitation number, awardee, award date, contract number, or other bidders, include them. You do not need to know exactly which records should be requested. We develop the research and records strategy during scoping.

No. Competitive Intelligence starts with the business question, not a document list. We review available official sources first, identify the evidence needed to answer your question, and pursue targeted public records for material gaps where appropriate.

Depending on the procurement and jurisdiction, relevant records may include bid tabulations, pricing schedules, evaluation score sheets, evaluator comments, award recommendations, winning proposals, executed contracts, amendments, change orders, purchase orders, and spending records. The exact evidence strategy depends on what is available and what your competitive question requires.

We analyze what the available procurement record establishes about the award. That may include pricing differences, evaluation scores, evaluator-documented strengths and weaknesses, proposal features, and the agency’s documented award rationale. We distinguish documented findings from analytical observations and do not claim that a factor caused the award unless the evidence supports that conclusion.

Winning proposals, evaluation materials, scoring records, and similar documents may be available in state and local procurement, but disclosure varies by jurisdiction and records may be withheld or redacted. Federal procurement is different because federal law restricts access to contractor proposals and certain source-selection information. We assess realistic record availability during scoping rather than promising access to records an agency may lawfully withhold.

Timing depends largely on whether the evidence is already available or must be obtained from the agency. If sufficient records are already public or provided to us, the analysis can move much faster. When new public-records requests are necessary, agency processing may add weeks or months to the project. We provide an initial timing assessment during scoping, manage the agency process, and keep you updated as the matter progresses.

Earlier is better. If the findings will inform an upcoming pursuit, we recommend beginning at least 90 days before you need the intelligence. For strategically important recompetes, starting 4–6 months ahead provides a better planning window for public-records processing, follow-up, analysis, and internal use of the findings. Agency processing times cannot be guaranteed.

Tell us during intake. We will assess what evidence is already available, which missing records are material, and whether the available time supports the research objective. If the full evidence set is unlikely to arrive in time, we will tell you rather than imply that an agency-controlled timeline can be guaranteed.

We state those limitations plainly. The final analysis identifies what was produced, what remains unavailable, and which conclusions the evidence does—and does not—support. Missing evidence is treated as a limitation, not filled with speculation.

Records Retrieval is appropriate when you already know which documents you want. Competitive Intelligence starts with a business question. We develop the research strategy, obtain relevant evidence where needed, compare and analyze the records, and deliver a source-backed assessment rather than simply forwarding a document production.

Government-assessed search, copying, or production fees are separate from our professional fee unless expressly included in the engagement. Your quote establishes an authorization threshold, and we will not authorize government fees above that amount without your approval.

Yes. Your research objective, materials, engagement information, and request history are treated as confidential client information. FOIA Experts submits public-records requests in its own name using FOIA Experts business contact information and does not identify the underlying client to the records agency as part of the request process.