Evaluation criteria and weighting in an RFP

The evaluation criteria section of an RFP is the scoring rubric for your bid: which requirements you must simply meet (mandatory), which get scored (rated), how many points each carries, and how the technical score combines with price to pick the winner.

Mandatory vs rated criteria

Per CanadaBuys' guidance for buyers, mandatory criteria are the minimum requirements essential to successfully completing the work — licences, delivery conditions, essential qualifications, budget limits — and none can be waived once the solicitation closes. Only offers meeting all mandatory criteria move on to point rating. Rated criteria score the relative merits of each compliant offer, and the solicitation must spell out the maximum points for each rated criterion plus any minimum thresholds: offers often need a minimum overall point total and minimum points on specific criteria to stay responsive.

How weighting actually works

Buyers are told to state each criterion's relative weighting and importance, and to make sure a high aggregate of points for minor criteria does not overcompensate for a low aggregate for major ones. In federal solicitations, the technical/price weighting appears in the basis-of-selection clause — typically a Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) clause such as A0027T, "Basis of Selection – Highest Combined Rating of Technical Merit and Price." A representative federal RFP rated technical merit on a fixed point scale, required a minimum overall point threshold, then combined technical and price using a 60% technical / 40% price ratio: the technical score (points earned ÷ maximum points) was multiplied by 60%, and each price was prorated against the best-ranked price at 40%. Other common bases of selection are lowest evaluated price and best overall value (lowest evaluated price per point).

Why it matters to bidders

The rubric is binding on the buyer. If an evaluation is not conducted fairly — evaluators ignored the published methodology or misapplied the weighting — the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) can intervene and even re-weigh the points in a bid challenge. For you, that means pricing your effort where the points are: a criterion worth few points rarely justifies pages of response, while a heavily weighted criterion with a minimum threshold can decide the whole competition.

Common questions

Can I see the scoring before bidding?

Yes — it must be in the solicitation. CanadaBuys requires buyers to clearly specify all evaluation criteria, including relative weighting and importance, maximum points per rated criterion, and every mandatory minimum threshold, in the solicitation document itself.

What happens if I score zero on one criterion?

Point-rated criteria not addressed in your offer score zero. If the criterion also has its own minimum threshold, a zero there can make your whole offer non-responsive even if your total is competitive.

Is price weighted the same everywhere?

No — the ratio (for example 60/40) and the basis of selection are chosen per procurement and stated in the solicitation. Never assume a split; read the basis-of-selection clause.

Related definitions

RFP meaning · Two-envelope evaluation · BAFO meaning · RFQ vs RFP