The Department of Homeland Security will extend deadlines for requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for quotations (RFQs) and requests for information (RFIs) to account for reduced staffing during the department’s lapse in appropriations, according to a FedBizOpps notice posted on January 17.
The announcement, made by Chief Procurement Officer Soraya Correa, noted that vendors will have additional time to respond, as long as the solicitation was open after the lapse of appropriations on December 21, 2018. The extended deadlines mean:
- RFIs may be submitted within three business days of fully restored funding at DHS; and
- RFPs and RFQs may be submitted within five business days of fully restored funding at DHS.
“DHS intends for the Contracting Officer to prepare and issue formal amendments to solicitations upon the conclusion of the funding lapse. However, in the absence of specific written guidance issued by the Contracting Officer for the particular RFI, RFP or RFQ, the deadlines set forth above shall apply,” the announcement noted.
Those who have already submitted a response will be able to amend their response in accordance with the deadlines. The post noted that the deadlines do not apply to solicitations where the contracting officer has issued an amendment to the solicitation schedule.