Purpose: This guide walks Contract Holders through monitoring task order solicitations (RFPs) and market research requests (RFIs), submitting formal inquiries to Contracting Officers during the Q&A window, uploading proposal bid packages, and managing proposal retractions.
Table of Contents
1. Monitor Task Orders and Solicitations
2. Submit Questions During Q&A
3. Respond with a Proposal, "No Bid", or Retraction
Before You Start
- Vehicle Scope: This order management guide applies only to Symphony-managed ordering vehicles (e.g., ASTRO, DHA). OASIS+ task orders and RFPs are released and managed through GSA eBuy, not inside the Symphony portal.
- Fair Opportunity Targeted Visibility: Solicitations appear on your Orders tab only if the Ordering Contracting Officer (OCO) explicitly selected your company’s contract pool, domain, or socioeconomic segment during release.
- System Timestamp Authority: Symphony enforces the digital system timestamp set by the OCO. If an attached PDF document lists a deadline that conflicts with the portal, the digital system timestamp inside Symphony governs workspace locks.
Steps
1. Monitor Task Orders and Solicitations
Access all available opportunities from your primary dashboard:
- Select the Orders tab.
- Review the opportunity table for active Task Orders (TO) and Market Research Requests (RFI).
- Use the search bar and dropdown filters to sort by status, order type, or keyword.
- Click the Tracking Number link to open the order record, view the solicitation summary, access amendments, and download attached documents.
Understanding Order Statuses
Order Status | System Meaning & Allowed Actions |
RELEASED (Pending Questions) | The order is open for vendor inquiries. Draft and submit questions on the Ask Questions tab prior to the Q&A deadline. |
RELEASED (Pending Proposals) | Proposal intake is active. The Respond tab is fully enabled to accept proposal uploads or "No Bid" notices. |
EVALUATION | The proposal submission deadline has passed and the workspace is locked. The government evaluation team is reviewing submissions. |
AWARD APPROVED | Evaluation is complete and an award has been officially announced. Details appear under the Awards tab. |
A Contract Holder Dashboard showing the Orders view.
2. Submit Questions During Q&A
When an order is in RELEASED-Pending Questions status, contract holders can submit inquiries directly to the OCO:
- Click the order Tracking Number and navigate to the Ask Questions tab.
- Enter your question (up to 2,500 characters) and optional reference section.
- Click Save and Add to place the question in your Unsubmitted Questions list.
- Review your complete list of draft inquiries.
- Click Submit Questions before the official Q&A deadline.
Mandatory Q&A Rules:
|
Ask Questions tab showing the field to enter questions and the list of unsubmitted questions.
3. Respond with a Proposal, "No Bid", or Retraction
When an order reaches RELEASED - Pending Proposals status, the Respond tab becomes active:
Option A: Submitting a Proposal (Bid)
- Select the Respond tab and choose Upload Proposal.
- Drag and drop or browse to upload required proposal files.
- Confirm the total file count under Proposal Confirmation.
- Click Submit before the system deadline.
Option B: Submitting a "No Bid"
- Select the Respond tab and choose Submit 'No Bid'.
- Select or enter your reason for declining to bid.
- Click Submit. (Note: You can still submit a proposal later if the deadline has not passed.)
Option C: Retracting and Resubmitting a Proposal
To modify a previously submitted proposal package prior to the deadline:
- Navigate to the Respond tab on the order record.
- Click Retract Proposal to unlock your submission.
- Add, replace, or remove files as necessary.
- Click Resubmit before the deadline timestamp expires.
Warning: A retracted proposal is considered unsubmitted. You must complete the Resubmit step before the deadline expires, or your proposal will not be received and evaluated.
Proposal upload screen showing the confirmation steps and the Submit button.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Root Cause | Fix |
Order missing from Dashboard | Search filters active, or company was omitted by OCO from release | Clear all search/status filters. If still missing, contact the OCO to confirm your company UEI was included in the fair opportunity release. |
"Ask Questions" tab or button is missing. | Q&A window is closed or order is not in Pending Questions status. | Check the order status and Q&A deadline timestamp. Support cannot reopen closed Q&A windows. |
"Respond" tab is missing or locked. | Order status is not Pending Proposals or system deadline expired. | Verify order status. If the portal deadline expired, contact the OCO directly to request an official extension in Symphony. |
Cannot download order attachment documents. | Local web firewall or browser pop-up blocker. | Check network security and firewall rules. If downloads fail across browsers, submit a support ticket submit a support ticket. |
Related Articles & Resources
- Awarded Contracts: Post-Award Setup, Contact Assignments, and Notifications—Guide on assigning Contract POCs and setting up notifications
- ASTRO Awarded Contracts: User Access, Contract Modifications, and Contractor Self Assessments (CSA)
- DHA Awarded Contracts: User Access, Portal Rules, and Contract Management
- Submit a Ticket to the Symphony Help Desk—For technical help or other issues
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