Past Performance Template
Past performance is how agencies de-risk an award: evidence you've done comparable work, recently, with verifiable results. This template gives you the standard reference format plus the write-up structure that scores well — and it works with commercial projects, which absolutely count.
Template structure
Use these sections as your document outline — each block explains what evaluators expect to find there.
Reference Header Block
Project name · Client organization · Contract number (if any) · Period of performance · Contract value · Your role (prime/sub) · Reference contact with phone and email.
Scope Summary
2–3 sentences on what you actually performed: services, scale (square footage, user count, post count), and operating environment.
Relevance Statement
One explicit sentence connecting this project to the target solicitation: same scope, similar size, same compliance regime. Don't make evaluators infer it.
Performance Narrative
How you executed: staffing model, quality control, communication cadence, and any problem you solved — the recovery story is often the most persuasive part.
Measurable Outcomes
Numbers evaluators can defend in a source selection report: on-time percentage, inspection pass rate, renewals exercised, SLA attainment, dollars saved.
Tips that win
- 3–5 references from the last 3–5 years is the typical requirement — check the solicitation for minimum values and required forms
- Warn your references: agencies send past performance questionnaires, and an unreturned questionnaire can score as neutral or worse
- Pick relevance over prestige — a same-scope commercial contract beats a bigger but unrelated one
Don't fill this in by hand
GovBidWriter drafts these documents from your company profile and the actual RFP — grounded in the real requirements, with placeholders where your facts are needed. Free to start.
Frequently asked questions
What if I have no past performance at all?
By regulation (FAR 15.305), offerors without a record of past performance may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably — a neutral rating. Pair that neutrality with strong key personnel experience and a detailed technical approach, or team with an experienced partner.
Can I use subcontract work as past performance?
Yes — identify your role honestly and describe the portion you self-performed. A reference from the prime contractor carries real weight.