A solicitation number tells you who issued an RFQ and whether a computer or a buyer will evaluate it. Take SPE4A6-26-T-1492:
- SPE4A6 is the issuing DLA office. SPE4 is Weapons Support in Richmond, SPE7 is Weapons Support in Columbus and SPE8 is Troop Support.
- 26 is the fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30.
- T, the ninth character, is the type of solicitation.
- 1492 is the number DLA assigned.
T and U mean automated
DLA's Master Solicitation identifies automated solicitations by SPE in the first three positions and T or U in the ninth. Quotes on them must be entered on DIBBS. Any other ninth letter means the request is outside the automated program and a buyer evaluates it, which is how Bid Prospect labels it.
How the automated evaluation works
The DLA Automated Evaluation program uses price reasonableness logic and other automated filters to make fully automated and buyer assisted awards up to the simplified acquisition threshold. It starts at the closing date and time and only considers qualified quotations: quotes entered on DIBBS that meet the solicitation exactly, with the bid type "bid without exception".
These do not, on their own, make a quote ineligible:
- Quoting different delivery days than the solicitation asks for.
- Quoting a superseding or previously approved part, or a correction to the CAGE and part number cited.
- Quoting a used, reconditioned or remanufactured item, or unused former government surplus.
- Quoting a foreign end product on an unrestricted solicitation.
- Quoting a hazardous item.
Fast Auto Evaluation
Some solicitations carry a Fast Auto Evaluation icon in the DIBBS search results. They are estimated at or below the micro-purchase threshold, are not set aside, and may be awarded before the closing date, so quoting early matters.
Check before you quote
Bid Prospect shows the award method on every request in the daily list, and you can filter by it. The solicitation itself is always the final word on how an RFQ is evaluated.