[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-236576-105":3,"doc-detail-236576-en":81,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":98},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","procedure-scope-of-work-sow-guide-where-do-i-start","Procedure Scope of Work - SOW Guide - Where Do I Start","","A scope of work (SOW) guide explaining how to develop clear, complete, and logical performance requirements that can be understood by respondents and the teams administering a contract. It emphasizes the role of the requester, contract administrator, and subject matter experts, and outlines how to engage relevant department expertise early. Guidance covers terminology and word choice (shall/must vs. should/may), avoiding ambiguity, and structuring SOWs so evaluation and source selection are based on well-defined objectives, requirements, tasks, methods, and period of performance.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/","Presentations",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/procedure-scope-of-work-sow-guide-where-do-i-start/236576/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/procedure-scope-of-work-sow-guide-where-do-i-start/236576.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Quinn","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-11",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Who should be the focal point for developing the scope of work?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The using department’s requester/contract administrator/subject matter expert should lead the development and start the process by contacting Procurement Services in advance.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why is clear and complete scope of work important for proposal evaluation?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Because it provides the baseline standard for evaluating proposals, reconciling them to design or other requirements, and determining the best approach to competition.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What word choices should be used to distinguish mandatory vs optional actions?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Use shall or must for mandatory actions, and use should or may only when there is a clear need to advise the respondent that an action is purely optional.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},236576,1791485280,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",{"doc_id":79,"user_id":84,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":85,"doc_module":22,"category_id":86,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":87,"file_id":88,"file_url":89,"file_type":90,"file_size":91,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":92,"language":93,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":94,"faqs":95,"seo_title":96,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":97,"read_time":55},962075114765,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd",11,"GSFIC  \nScope of Work (SOW) Guide*  \nWhere Do I Start?  \nA well written scope of work can do more for the success of a contract than anyother part of the contracting process. A good scope of work is clear, complete, and logical enough to be understood by the respondent and the personnel who will administer t. Because it describes the details of performance, it is the yardstick against which the respondent's performance is measured. That is why the using department's requester/contract administrator/subject matter expert should be the focal point for developing the scope of work. The requester/administrator/subject matter expert, the person who will be responsible for monitoring the respondent's performance should start the process by contacting the Procurement Services Department well in advance of the need for the product/services to request copies of samples from previous contracts. Armed with this information, she/he should consult with appropriate experts (Police for security issues, Environmental Health and Safety for job safety concerns, ITS for computer software or hardware advice, Physical Plant for issues impacting facilities, Risk Management for special insurance needs, etc. ) and enlist the assistance of other departmental personnel in drafting the scope of work. The Procurement Services Department can help identify resources for this purpose and should be contacted to assist in the development of the SOW.  \nTerminology and Word Choice  \nWhen drafting your scope of work, bear in mind that it must clearly communicate what you expect from the respondent. If you think a term could be misunderstood, include a definition so that both parties have the same frame of reference. Avoid using phrases or clauses whose meaning is arguable or ambiguous. The words should or may have no place in the scope of work unless there is a clear need to advise the respondent that the action requested is purely optional. When action is mandatory, use the words shall or must.  \nSection A-Overview of Scope of Work  \nA scope of work sets forth requirements for performance of work to achieve project objectives. The scope of work must be clear, accurate and complete. SOWs have to be read and interpreted by persons of varied backgrounds, including performing contractors and their suppliers, project managers representing departments or offices, and the contracting officer. Therefore, the SOW should be worded to make more than one interpretation virtually impossible. Developing a scope of work presents unique problems, because each SOW is designed for a unique procurement action. A normal procurement specification, such as a purchase or supply contract, is used to procure standard products and repeatedly used services. But a scope of work is mainly used to procure a variety of nonstandard services, as well as development of software and hardware, and construction. Thus, no uniform SOW format can be applied, but guidelines can be followed to achieve an end product that meets the specific  \nPage 1 of 20  \nG:\\PROCUREMENT SERVICES\\ARRA\\ARRA-GSFIC Website Documents\\Final Website Documents\\Procedure Scope of Work.doc  \n*THIS GUIDE ISTOBE USED ASA GENERAL APPROACH. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR ASSISTANCE.  \nGSFIC  \nScope of Work (SOW) Guide*  \nobjectives of the contract. The difficult and sometimes controversial function of proposal evaluation and source selection is based largely on a scope of work, which is the baseline standard for evaluating all proposals, for reconciling them to design or other requirements, and for determining the best approach to competition. Evaluation criteria are based on a scope of work that defines project objectives and requirements for their achievement. Challenges to the proposal evaluation and source selection are almost always traceable to an uninformative or ambiguous scope of work.  \nDefinitions  \nA scope of work describes the work to be performed or the services to be provided. It describes tasks, di","cbCaifB9P8lHgNO0","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifB9P8lHgNO0","pdf",84621,20,"English","# Where Do I Start?\n## Terminology and Word Choice\n## Section A-Overview of Scope of Work\n## Definitions\n## Basic Requirements of a Scope of Work\n## Clarity\n## Precision","[{\"question\":\"Who should be the focal point for developing the scope of work?\",\"answer\":\"The using department’s requester/contract administrator/subject matter expert should lead the development and start the process by contacting Procurement Services in advance.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is clear and complete scope of work important for proposal evaluation?\",\"answer\":\"Because it provides the baseline standard for evaluating proposals, reconciling them to design or other requirements, and determining the best approach to competition.\"},{\"question\":\"What word choices should be used to distinguish mandatory vs optional actions?\",\"answer\":\"Use shall or must for mandatory actions, and use should or may only when there is a clear need to advise the respondent that an action is purely optional.\"}]","Procedure Scope of Work - SOW Guide - Where Do I Start | PDF",1789106270,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":99},[100,103,108,113,118,123,128,133,138],{"id":86,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},90,"presentations",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":127},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":129,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":131,"slug":132},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":134,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":135,"show_sort_weight":136,"slug":137},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":139,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":140,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":141},158,"General","general-158"]