What Is Past Performance in Government Contracting?
Past performance is your record on previous contracts. Agencies use it to judge how likely you are to do a new job well.
Past performance in plain English
Many solicitations ask for references or examples of similar work, and evaluators may check CPARS, the government's contractor report cards.
Having no past performance isn't disqualifying. An offeror with no relevant record can't be rated favorably or unfavorably on it, and evaluators may also consider your key people and major subcontractors.
New contractors often build a record through subcontracts, small orders and commercial work for similar customers.
Related terms
- CPARS: CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) is the government's system for contractor report cards, used to judge past performance.
- Capability statement: A capability statement is a one-page summary of your business for agencies and prime contractors: what you do, what sets you apart and your past work.
- Subcontractor: A subcontractor is a business hired by a prime contractor to do part of a government contract. Your customer is the prime, not the agency.
- RFP (request for proposals): A request for proposals (RFP) is the solicitation for a negotiated contract, where the agency can weigh price against your approach and past performance.
Put it to work
Looking for another term? Browse the full glossary or the government contracting glossary guide.