How Epideictic Rhetoric Influences Source Evaluation Boards in Oral Presentations

Abstract

Oral presentations have officially been part of the FAR since 1994. Initial critics questioned their auditability, but Federal procurement shops employed rigorously controlled physical environments to provide contractors with equal footing. As the process matured, oral presentations have been a popularized method of source selection and allow a federal buyer to streamline the acquisition process. Post-Covid, the methods to host oral presentations have moved from in-person to a virtual stage. Now more than ever, contractors are able to fabricate ethos by diligently scripting every word to maintain more substantial control over their intended messaging. This paper examines if favor is subconsciously given to presentations that use rhetorical methods - namely elements of epideictic rhetoric. This paper will use a qualitative research approach based on relevant Federal and Academic texts and personal experiences as an oral presentations coach. It will examine the history of oral presentations and provide an overview of the principles of epideictic rhetoric. It will connect these elements to communication/retention sciences to show rhetorical favorability. The goal is to provide the Government with tools and recommendations to account for style bias and ensure the right contractors are chosen for mission-critical contracts.