RFP DETAILS

Find the real due date of an RFP, and the dates that come before it

The submission deadline is the date and time by which a response must reach the buyer, in the way the RFP specifies. It is rarely the only date that matters: vendor questions, site visits and intent-to-bid notices often close earlier, and addenda can move any of them. Ask Search+ "When and how is the response due, and has any addendum changed it?" and check the cited schedule and addendum yourself.

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Last updated October 2026

How to find RFP deadlines with Search+

Upload the RFP and every addendum issued so far
Deadline changes usually arrive in addenda. Add each one to the workspace as it is issued, and your earlier conversations stay saved so you can return and ask again.
Ask for the schedule, then for each date on its own
Ask for the full schedule of events first. Then ask separately about the proposal due date, the question deadline and any pre-proposal meeting, because each one may have its own rules on how to take part.
Open the citations for date, time and delivery method
A due date without a time, a time zone and a delivery method is incomplete. Open the cited excerpt to read all three, and ask a follow-up if the RFP points to a separate submission instructions section.

Questions to ask about RFP deadlines

Due date and time

What is the exact date, time and time zone by which proposals must be received?

Delivery method

Must the response be uploaded to a portal, emailed or delivered in hard copy, and to whom?

Question period

What is the last date to submit questions, and how will answers be published?

Changes

Has any addendum changed the due date or the time? Cite the most recent change.

Late responses

What does the RFP say happens to a response that arrives after the deadline?

Earlier steps

Is there a mandatory pre-proposal meeting, site visit or notice of intent to respond before the due date?

What to look for around the submission deadline

Received, not sent

Most solicitations measure the deadline by when the buyer receives the response, not when it was sent. Read whether the RFP uses received, submitted or postmarked.

Time and time zone

A due time is usually given in the buyer's local time. When you work in a different zone, confirm which one applies in the cited text.

Late submissions

Many public solicitations state that late responses will not be considered. Others leave some discretion to the buyer. Read the late submission rule rather than assuming either way.

Mandatory earlier steps

A required pre-proposal conference, site visit or registration can be a condition of bidding. Missing one may rule a vendor out even when the final deadline is still weeks away.

A workspace you can return to

Workspaces, documents and conversations are saved, so you can add each new addendum and ask again whether the schedule changed. Check dates in the cited passage, since AI answers can be incomplete.

RFP timing phrases and what each one means

Wording you may see	What it usually signals	A follow-up question
"must be received by"	Arrival time is what counts	Received where, and by whom?
"local time" or a named zone	The clock the deadline follows	Which time zone applies to the due time?
"late proposals will not be accepted"	Little or no flexibility on timing	Are there any stated exceptions?
"questions due"	An earlier cut-off for clarifications	How will the buyer publish the answers?
"mandatory pre-proposal conference"	Attendance may be required to bid	Is attendance a condition for submitting a proposal?
"Addendum" with a revised schedule	A changed date	Which dates did this addendum change?

What is the submission deadline in an RFP?

The submission deadline is the date and time stated in an RFP by which a vendor's response must be received, together with the required delivery method. It usually appears in a schedule of events and again in the submission instructions.

The submission deadline is not the question deadline or the award date. The question deadline is the last day to ask the buyer for clarification; the award date is when the buyer expects to choose a vendor.

Submission deadline questions

Can Search+ find the due date and time in an RFP?

Ask when proposals are due. The answer cites the schedule or instructions where the date and time appear, so you can read the exact wording, including the time zone if it is stated.

Will it notice if an addendum moved the deadline?

Yes, when the addendum is in the workspace. Ask for the current due date and which addendum set it, and open the citation to the revised schedule.

Can it list all the dates in the solicitation?

Ask for the schedule of events and any other dates mentioned in the document. Check the cited passages, because dates outside the schedule, such as bond expiry or price validity, may need separate questions.

Does Search+ send deadline reminders?

No. Search+ answers questions about your documents; it does not track dates or send alerts. Put the cited dates in your own calendar.

What if the buyer posted a scanned RFP?

Search+ reads scanned RFPs with OCR, so you can still ask for the closing date and time zone. A deadline is the one detail you can least afford to get wrong, so open the citation and confirm the date and hour against the buyer's portal or the original notice.

Is this advice on whether a late bid will be accepted?

No. Search+ shows you what the RFP says about deadlines and late responses. Whether a buyer will accept a late or incomplete bid is a question for the buyer or your adviser.

Related RFP sections

RFPs

Read a whole solicitation with citations

Evaluation criteria

How responses are scored

Mandatory requirements

The pass or fail conditions

Pricing format

How cost must be presented

Scope of work

What the buyer wants delivered

Compare RFPs