Cracking the Code: Your Small Business Guide to FAR Part 15 

Aug 7, 2025

Winning and securing government contracts is more important for small businesses in 2025. This guide will help you to understand and leverage the importance of small businesses in FAR Part 15’s opportunity 15, including opportunities for complex contracts, flexibility in source selection, opportunities for discussion and refinement, emphasis on proposal quality, and fairness and transparency. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15 typically covers larger, more complex, and often more lucrative opportunities, while FAR Part 12 provides a simplified route for commercial items. FAR Part 15 is more complex for simplified acquisitions and applies to contracts where innovative solutions are articulated beyond price. For small firms, navigating the world of government contracts is extremely daunting.

What is FAR Part 15? 

The procurement procedure for many complex, expensive government contracts that are inappropriate for secret bidding or expedited acquisition procedures is governed by FAR Part 15, Contract by Negotiation. The government evaluates proposals using more adaptable, conversation-based techniques by considering complicated services, R&D, large IT projects, and specialized tools. 

Information for Small Businesses about FAR Part 15 

To crack an opportunity, you can obtain significant federal contracts through FAR Part 15. Through innovative solutions and comprehensive services with a detailed technical approach.  

Significant Opportunities

FAR Part 15 contracts often offer large revenue potential and longer-term commitments for significant growth in your company.

Specific Requirements

Based on the government, a specialized solution is designed for research and development (R&D), large-scale IT systems, and complex services. 

Most Economical Value on Focus/Top-Rated Purchases

FAR Part 15 allows the government to consider elements other than price, like your technical approach, past performance, and managerial skills, in contrast to sealed bidding, where the lowest price wins. This implies that you can highlight your special talents. 

Non-Commercial Items

FAR Part 15 is the main approach for non-commercial acquisitions where certified cost or pricing data is required and used for commercial items.  

Negotiation Power

The negotiation and discussions between your company and the government allow you to clarify your proposal and address any weaknesses before the final award. 

Strategic Growth

Receiving a FAR Part 15 contract enhances your performance history and raises your chances of being chosen for bigger federal opportunities in the future.

Vital Facts for Small Businesses to Understand the Intricacies of FAR Part 15

Despite its forbidding conception, FAR Part 15 presents a significant opportunity for small businesses. Numerous opportunities under FAR Part 15 are reserved especially for small and disadvantaged businesses, including 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and WOSB-certified firms. The key considerations for FAR Part 15 procurements start with a Request for Proposals (RFP), which is more detailed than a solicitation document under other FAR Parts: 

Prepare yourself to present a detailed proposal with a recommendation that includes technical volumes, management approach, past performance, and often a wealth of cost or pricing information, where paying close attention is critical. 

The solicitation documents clearly state the evaluation factors, which include technical factors, earlier performance, cost, and management volume. Make sure that your proposal is tailored to address and excel with your relative relevance in these areas. 

Be ready to meet for an official discussion conducted by the government with a competitive range of the best-rated proposals to clarify and refine offers from firms. 

A comprehensive analysis of your cost structure is necessary to send certified cost or pricing data for non-commercial item contracts when exceeding a particular threshold of $2 million (currently). 

If your company is not selected for the proposal, you have the right to debrief, which provides valuable feedback to implement these ideas in your future proposal submission. 

MySetAside: Your Strategic Companion for FAR Part 15 Success

Even though FAR Part 15 may appear daunting, MySetAside is an effective online solution that helps small businesses navigate federal contracting procedures by supporting FAR Part 15 essential procurement possibilities in the following ways:

• Identifying Targeted Opportunities-MySetAside assists you in finding and extracting FAR Part 15 RFPs that match the capabilities and characteristics of your ideal contract.
• Proposal Management Contribution-MySetAside may assist in organizing the extensive requirements of FAR Part 15 bids with templates or checklists for evaluating components such as technical volume, management strategy, and past performance.
• Breakthrough Past Performance-MySetAside makes it easier to effectively record and showcase your relevant experience, including project success and customer satisfaction, by FAR Part 15’s focus on prior achievements.
• Cost/Price Data Recommendations-MySetAside helps to create certified cost or price data needs even if you don’t have direct data, by offering resources or advice on what is needed for FAR Part 15 pricing submissions.
• Comprehensive Strategies-MySetAside increases your chances of getting into the “competitive range” and landing these lucrative negotiated contracts by centralizing request material and offering insight on evaluation measures.

Real-Time Statistics about FAR Part 15

FAR Part 15 is subject to both sole-source and competitively negotiated acquisitions. Additionally, it is important to remember that FAR Part 15 is reviewed and revised. Enhancing the involvement of small businesses in multiple awards contracts shows the ongoing attempt to improve procurement laws that meet the aims of the government and increase possibilities for all companies, including small businesses.

Despite the complexity of FAR Part 15, small businesses can succeed in negotiating federal contracts if they have the necessary skills and resources. By offering expertise, structure, and resources, MySetAside turns a complicated system into an opportunity engine that helps businesses proactively prepare for, compete in, and prosper in the world of negotiated acquisitions. If you are a small business expecting to expand through federal contracts, contact MySetAside to apply for transformative government contracts.