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Best value

Best value is an award method where the county weighs price together with other factors such as quality, experience and delivery, instead of choosing the lowest price alone.

Best value is common in RFPs and some competitive proposals. The solicitation lists the factors and how much each counts, such as price 40%, experience 30%, approach 30%.

How to compete on best value

  • Read the scoring criteria first and organize your response around them.
  • Prove claims with specifics: similar projects, named references, measurable results.
  • Don't assume the cheapest proposal wins, and don't assume price doesn't matter. Price is usually still a large share of the score.

Where state law allows it

States decide which purchases may use best value instead of low bid. For example, Texas counties can use competitive proposals for certain purchases and alternative methods for construction under Government Code chapter 2269. Check our state guides for the rules where you sell.

Last reviewed Oct 30, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and thresholds change; check the current statute and the bid documents.