The Cost/Price Volume is the section of a proposal that contains all pricing information — total proposed price, the contract line item structure, basis of estimate documentation, labor rate buildups, indirect rate calculations, escalation assumptions, and any required supporting cost data. The volume is submitted separately from the technical volume to keep the technical evaluation team blind to price during the technical assessment, a discipline mandated under FAR 15.305 to prevent technical scoring from being influenced by cost. Section L of the solicitation specifies the cost volume format, the level of detail required, and the supporting documentation that must accompany the priced submission.
Required cost volume contents vary by contract type. FFP proposals typically require a CLIN-by-CLIN price breakdown sufficient to demonstrate price reasonableness. Cost-reimbursement proposals require Certified Cost or Pricing Data under TINA when the threshold applies, including labor buildups, indirect rates, material projections, and proposed fee. T&M proposals require labor category rates with supporting basis. Most cost volumes include a cover letter, the priced CLIN matrix, basis-of-estimate narrative for each significant cost element, supporting subcontractor pricing, and required cost element summaries.
For small contractors, cost volume defects are the most common cause of last-minute submission failures. Math errors that propagate across pages, basis-of-estimate gaps, and escalation assumptions that fail price-reasonableness analysis can result in rejection or unfavorable price evaluation. Cost volume preparation should run on its own schedule with its own quality reviewer — not as the final-day output of the technical writer.