Past Performance in Government Contracting: Complete Guide to Building Your Record (2025)

Quick Answer: Why Past Performance Matters

Past performance is often the most important evaluation factor in government contract competitions. It demonstrates your ability to deliver on similar work. The government uses CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) to document contractor performance. Strong past performance can overcome weaknesses in other areas; poor ratings can disqualify you from competitions.

Evaluation Factor

CPARS

Official System

3-6 Years

Recency Window

5 Ratings

Scale Levels

What is Past Performance?

Past performance refers to your track record of delivering on contracts similar to the one you are pursuing. The government uses past performance to predict future performance: the best predictor of future success is past success.

When evaluating past performance, contracting officers look for evidence that you have successfully completed work that is similar in scope, size, complexity, and type to the current requirement.

What Evaluators Look For

Relevance

How similar is your past work to the current requirement? Similar scope, complexity, dollar value, and contract type.

Quality

Did you meet technical requirements? Was the work completed to government standards and specifications?

Schedule

Did you deliver on time? Were milestones met? How did you handle schedule challenges?

Cost Control

Did you stay within budget? Were there cost overruns? How were cost issues managed?

Management

How well did you manage the contract? Communication, problem resolution, responsiveness.

Customer Satisfaction

Would the customer work with you again? Overall satisfaction with your performance.

Understanding CPARS

CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) is the government's official system for documenting contractor performance. CPARS ratings follow you and are visible to all federal contracting officers.

CPARS Rating Scale

Exceptional

Performance significantly exceeded requirements; no problems identified

Very Good

Performance exceeded some requirements; minor problems resolved

Satisfactory

Performance met requirements; problems resolved without impact

Marginal

Performance did not meet some requirements; serious problems occurred

Unsatisfactory

Performance did not meet requirements; recovery not likely

Important CPARS Facts

⚠CPARS evaluations are conducted annually during contract performance
⚠You have 14 days to review and comment on draft evaluations
⚠Final ratings can be disputed through the reviewing official
⚠Ratings remain in the system for 6 years

CPARS Process

Government Prepares Draft

Contracting officer writes initial evaluation

Contractor Reviews

You have 14 days to review and provide comments

Government Finalizes

Final rating published after considering comments

Rating Available

Visible to all federal contracting officers via PPIRS

How Past Performance is Evaluated

Evaluators assess past performance using information from multiple sources:

Information Sources

• CPARS/PPIRS database
• Past performance questionnaires (PPQs)
• References you provide
• Government knowledge of your work
• Interviews with references
• Other government databases

Relevancy Determination

Evaluators rate how similar your experience is:

Very Relevant: Similar scope, complexity, size
Relevant: Some similarities in key areas
Somewhat Relevant: Limited similarities
Not Relevant: No meaningful similarities

Recency Requirements

Solicitations typically require past performance from the last 3-6 years. More recent performance carries more weight.

0-2 Years

Most relevant

2-4 Years

Relevant

4-6 Years

Less weight

Building Past Performance

Building past performance takes time and strategic effort. Here are proven approaches:

1. Start with Subcontracting

Subcontracting work under prime contractors builds past performance without competing for prime contracts directly. Get letters of recommendation and ensure your work is documented.

2. Pursue Small Dollar Contracts

Small contracts are easier to win and build past performance quickly. Micro-purchases (under $10K) and simplified acquisitions (under $250K) have less competition and faster award timelines.

3. State and Local Government

State and local contracts demonstrate government work experience even without federal past performance. Many federal solicitations accept state/local experience as relevant.

4. Commercial Contracts

Commercial contracts with large corporations can be cited as past performance, especially for commercial item procurements. Document outcomes carefully.

5. GSA Schedule

Getting on a GSA Schedule and winning task orders builds federal past performance. Schedule contracts often have lower barriers to entry.

What If You Have No Past Performance?

Good news: having no past performance is not the same as having bad past performance. FAR 15.305 requires that a neutral rating be given when no relevant past performance exists.

Strategies for New Contractors

✓Cite key personnel experience: Your team members relevant experience from previous employers
✓Use commercial experience: Similar commercial work demonstrates capability
✓Team with experienced firms: Joint ventures or teaming gives access to partner past performance
✓Target set-asides: Small business set-asides often have more flexible past performance requirements
✓Excel in technical approach: Outstanding technical proposals can offset neutral past performance

Key Personnel Experience

Many solicitations allow you to cite the relevant past performance of your key personnel. Document their experience from previous employers, ensuring you have permission to reference their work.

Past Performance Proposal Strategies

Select the Right References

Choose references strategically based on:

• Similarity to current requirement (most important)
• Recency of the work
• Strength of your performance
• Responsiveness of the reference POC

Prepare Your References

Contact references before submitting proposals:

• Confirm they will respond positively
• Remind them of project highlights and outcomes
• Provide current contact information
• Alert them that evaluators may call

Emphasize Relevance

Draw explicit connections between your past work and the current requirement. Map your experience to specific evaluation criteria. Show how lessons learned will benefit this contract.

Quantify Results

Use specific metrics: delivered 2 weeks early, 15% under budget, 99.9% uptime, zero safety incidents. Numbers are more convincing than general statements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many past performance references do I need?

Most solicitations request 3-5 references. Quality matters more than quantity. One highly relevant reference is better than several marginally relevant ones.

Can I dispute a CPARS rating?

Yes. You have 14 days to comment on draft evaluations. If you disagree with the final rating, you can request review by the reviewing official or appeal through the contracting officer.

Does subcontract work count as past performance?

Yes. Subcontracting experience is valid past performance. Get documentation from the prime contractor including scope, performance period, and assessment of your work.

How long do CPARS ratings last?

CPARS ratings remain in the system for 6 years. They are visible to contracting officers throughout this period and can affect future contract awards.

Can I use predecessor company experience?

Sometimes. If you acquired another company or key personnel came from another firm, you may be able to cite that experience. The solicitation will specify what is acceptable.

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