Sealed Bid
Definition
Also known as invitations for bids or formal advertising, sealed bids are submitted in response to the government’s formal solicitation. Sealed bids must comply with all stated government requirements. The government must award the contract to the lowest-price responsive bid submitted by a responsible contractor. Currently, the sealed bid process is rarely used because it forces the government to select the lowest-price bid regardless of non-price factors, such as quality or technical capability.