Federal TPOC outreach: before the solicitation drops

What a TPOC is

The Technical Point of Contact is the government technical person responsible for a specific topic or procurement. For SBIR, each DSIP topic lists TPOC information — usually the program office engineer or scientist who wrote the topic and will review proposals. For non-SBIR procurement, TPOC equivalents are named in sources sought notices, RFIs, and pre-solicitation material.

1. Step 1 — Find the TPOC: DSIP, SAM.gov, and agency SBIR portals list Technical Points of Contact for each topic. Some agencies publish TPOC emails publicly.
2. Step 2 — Write a one-paragraph email: State who you are, what capability you have, and ask one specific technical question about the topic. Do not attach a capability statement.
3. Step 3 — Ask for a written reply: Written replies are more useful than calls — they confirm the program need in the TPOC's own words, which you can then quote back in your proposal.
4. Step 4 — Reference the conversation: If the TPOC confirms a technical approach, cite it explicitly in the proposal: "Per our exchange with [TPOC], the program office confirmed..."

TPOCs are the most useful and most underused resource in the federal procurement system. They hold the context — what problem they are trying to solve, what solutions they have considered, what the program office's constraints are. But the communication rules are strict and vary by procurement phase.

The communication windows

Phase	Can you talk to TPOC?	What's allowed
Pre-topic / pre-solicitation	Yes, freely	General capability briefings, technology demos, market research discussions. TPOCs welcome hearing what industry can do.
Open TPOC window (SBIR)	Yes, with rules	DSIP lists an open Q&A window (typically 2-4 weeks before topic release). Any proposer can email the TPOC with topic-clarification questions. Answers may be shared with all proposers.
Solicitation pre-release	Usually no direct technical discussion	Once DSIP marks a topic as "Pre-Release," direct technical discussion with TPOC is restricted. Questions must go through the official Q&A process on DSIP.
Open solicitation	No direct TPOC contact	FAR prohibits communications that would give one proposer an unfair advantage. Questions go through the contracting officer via official Q&A. Direct TPOC contact can result in proposal exclusion.
Post-award, pre-Phase II	Yes, you now have a customer	Phase I winners can and should work directly with TPOC. Phase II positioning happens here.

Pre-topic engagement: the biggest lever

Before a topic is even written, the program office is forming the problem statement. Industry engagement during this pre-topic phase is the highest-leverage TPOC interaction. It happens through:

• Industry days and technology forums.
• Agency AI/ML working groups (DIU Gatherings, xTech events, AFWERX tech demos).
• Direct capability briefings requested by the firm.
• Conference sidebars with agency personnel.

A firm that briefs a TPOC on relevant capability 6-12 months before a topic exists can influence how the topic is written — within the bounds of fair competition. The TPOC learns what the market can actually do, which narrows the topic's scope and specificity. Firms that participate in pre-topic conversations are not guaranteed wins, but they see the topic with better context.

The DSIP open Q&A window

For SBIR topics, DSIP publishes an open Q&A window for each topic, typically 2-4 weeks starting before the pre-release date and ending at pre-release. During this window:

• Anyone can email the listed TPOC with technical questions about the topic.
• TPOC responses may be shared with all interested firms (via topic Q&A log).
• Questions about proposal content, teaming, or specific approach are discouraged — the TPOC answers topic-clarification questions, not strategy questions.

What to ask during the open window

Good questions help the TPOC and help you:

• "The topic references X technology — is there a specific implementation or existing baseline we should be aware of?"
• "The POP is 6 months. Is there flexibility for longer performance if technical work justifies it?"
• "Are there prior SBIR or research efforts in this space we should avoid duplicating?"
• "The topic mentions integration with Y system — can you share the interface specification or point us to public documentation?"

What NOT to ask

• "Is our approach acceptable?" — TPOCs cannot validate specific approaches.
• "How will this be evaluated?" — evaluation criteria are in the solicitation; asking reveals you did not read it.
• "Is there an incumbent?" — sometimes legitimate, but often awkward; better asked at industry days.
• "Can you review our draft proposal?" — absolutely not. Proposal pre-review by TPOC is prohibited.
• Anything that sounds like strategy, teaming, or pricing.

After solicitation release: go silent

Once the solicitation is released, direct TPOC contact is effectively over until award. All questions must go through the contracting officer, usually via a Q&A submission process on DSIP or SAM.gov. Responses are posted publicly (or shared with all proposers), leveling the field.

Violations have teeth. A proposer who contacts the TPOC during the open solicitation period about substantive topic matters can be disqualified. At minimum, the TPOC and CO will log the contact and it will come up in source selection.

Post-award TPOC relationship

After Phase I award, the TPOC becomes your technical customer. The relationship shifts entirely — you work directly with them throughout the six-month Phase I, brief them at kickoff, mid-point, and final, and position for Phase II through demonstrated delivery. Phase II conversion depends heavily on the TPOC's confidence in your Phase I execution. A TPOC who is impressed will advocate for Phase II funding inside the agency. A TPOC who is not will be polite but not lean in.

TPOC outreach for non-SBIR procurement

For non-SBIR, the TPOC equivalent is the named technical lead in sources sought or industry day material. Pre-solicitation rules apply similarly: engage during sources sought, respect the CO-mediated Q&A process once a solicitation is out, go silent during open procurement, engage heavily post-award.

Building a TPOC engagement rhythm

A small AI firm targeting 2-3 agencies should build a recurring TPOC engagement cadence:

• Quarterly review of relevant program office personnel on LinkedIn, agency directories, industry day attendance lists.
• Capability briefings requested 2-3 per quarter with target TPOCs.
• Attendance at agency technical forums and industry days where TPOCs present.
• Newsletter or occasional capability updates sent to TPOCs who have opted in.

Bottom line

TPOCs are the most underused resource in federal procurement. Pre-topic engagement shapes topics in your favor. Open-window Q&A clarifies topics. Post-release contact is forbidden. Post-award engagement is where Phase II wins are built. Know which phase you are in, ask questions that help both sides, and respect the rules — the firms that build consistent, appropriate TPOC relationships over years win more than the firms that only talk to TPOCs when a topic is open.

Frequently asked questions