The costly mistake new contractors make

One of the biggest errors we see from new government contractors is passing on an RFQ simply because they can’t meet the delivery date listed in the solicitation.

Here’s how it usually happens:

  • You’ve already gotten a solid price from your vendor.
  • You’ve factored in your packaging costs.
  • But when you see the requested delivery time, your lead time runs longer—so you walk away.

That’s a missed opportunity.

The delivery date isn’t always a dealbreaker

The date listed in the RFQ is the desired delivery date from the DLA. It’s not always a hard cutoff.

If you can’t meet it exactly, it doesn’t automatically disqualify you. The DLA will weigh your proposed timeline alongside your price and their confidence in your delivery.

What the DLA cares about (in order)

  1. Price – Competitive pricing is king.
  2. Confidence in your delivery – Proven track record, solid communication, and reliability matter.
  3. Delivery date – Yes, it’s important—but it comes after the first two.

We’ve personally won contracts where the RFQ requested a 5-day delivery, and we quoted 120+ days. Why? Because our price was the best and the DLA trusted us to deliver.

Why they’re willing to wait

If you can save the DLA money and they know you’ll deliver, they’re often willing to extend the timeline. For critical or specialized parts, this is even more common.

How to approach bids when you can’t meet the date

  • Be honest about your lead time—never overpromise.
  • Submit the bid anyway if your price and track record are strong.
  • Focus on your value proposition—cost savings and proven reliability.
  • Keep a record of on-time deliveries to build DLA confidence.

Worst case vs. best case

  • Worst case: You don’t win, but you’ve still put your name in front of the buyer for future opportunities.
  • Best case: You win the contract—because you didn’t let the delivery date scare you off.

Bottom line

Don’t sideline yourself over an RFQ delivery date. As long as your pricing is sharp and you have a reputation for delivering, the DLA will often work with your timeline.

Ready to find more winnable RFQs?
GovScraper pulls, organizes, and tracks RFQs so you can focus on competitive pricing, strong delivery, and smart bidding.


Book a live demo to see how we can help you win more contracts.