# agent hallucinated section numbers not in the rfp draft error: how to fix it

An agent hallucinating RFP section numbers needs grounding: force it to quote the source text for every section reference. Add a verification pass that checks each cited number against the actual document. Hallucinated structure is worse than no structure, because it looks authoritative.

```text
agent hallucinated section numbers not in the rfp draft error
```

## When to use this skill
- Drafts cite section numbers that dont exist
- Reviewers catch fake references

## When not to use this skill
- The sections exist but content is wrong (a comprehension issue)
- The agent invents facts beyond numbering (broader grounding needed)

## Tool compatibility
Agent RFP drafting with LLM generation.
Related area: agent output evaluation and grounding checks.
Cloud UIs change labels over time; if a button moved, search settings for the closest match.

## Before you start
- Sign in to the tool and keep one tab open so sessions stay clean
- Copy the exact error text and note the time it happened
- Set aside 15 to 20 minutes; most of these resolve in a single pass

## Quick diagnosis
Make sure this is the right skill before you invest the 15 minutes.
- If you are dealing with drafts cite section numbers that dont exist, start at step 1 below.
- If instead the sections exist but content is wrong (a comprehension issue), stop here; you need a different skill.
- If neither quite matches, compare your screen against the verbatim error block at the top; that block is exactly what this skill covers.

## Fix it in steps
### 1. Require source quotes

```
Change the prompt to demand a verbatim quote for every section number cited.
```
Expected: the agent either quotes real text or admits it cannot find it.

### 2. Add a verification pass

```
Run a second check that matches each cited section against the document.
```
Expected: fake sections flagged before the draft goes out.

### 3. Strip unverified references

```
Remove any section number that fails verification from the draft.
```
Expected: a draft with only real, checkable references.

### 4. Test on a tricky RFP

```
Run the pipeline on an RFP with unusual numbering.
```
Expected: no hallucinated sections survive.

## Confirm each step worked
Run through this checklist before moving on. If a check fails, redo that step instead of pushing ahead.
- Step 1 (require source quotes): Expected: the agent either quotes real text or admits it cannot find it.
- Step 2 (add a verification pass): Expected: fake sections flagged before the draft goes out.
- Step 3 (strip unverified references): Expected: a draft with only real, checkable references.
- Step 4 (test on a tricky rfp): Expected: no hallucinated sections survive.

## Quick recap
1. Require source quotes
2. Add a verification pass
3. Strip unverified references
4. Test on a tricky RFP

## Still stuck?
Gather three things: the exact error text, the time it happened, and what changed just before it broke.
Check the vendor status page for an active incident. Then open a support ticket with those three things;
it cuts the back-and-forth in half. For agent runs, attach the last 50 lines of the agent log too,
since the loop or timeout signature in the log usually names the cause.

## Variant phrasings
### agent hallucinating section numbers
Quotes plus verification kills it. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

### fake rfp references agent
Unverified references must be stripped, not warned about. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

## Why it happens
Language models pattern-match numbering schemes and confidently extend them. Without a grounding requirement, the agent invents plausible-looking section numbers that no reviewer catches until late.

## Edge cases
- Amendments renumber sections, verify against the latest version
- Some RFPs genuinely skip numbers, dont flag real gaps
- Keep the verification strict, false confidence is the danger

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_U_B58SBzKSNrGPDkNKnicQ