Reviewing a proposal involves a lot more than assessing compliance, style, and checking for typos. Here is a list of questions that reviewers should consider:
- Proposed Solution. Will it work? Does it fall within risk tolerances? Is it price-competitive? Is it best-in-class/best-value? Have all the benefits of the solution or approach been pointed out. Have all the features been sufficiently tied to the evaluation criteria in order to ensure credit?
- RFP Compliance. Note any ways that the section does not adequately address an RFP requirement. Make sure all RFP requirements are addressed, especially anything relevant in Sections C, M, and L as well as any other sections that might contract relevant requirements. Call attention to anything that might contradict an RFP requirement.
- Score. Give the section a grade according to the evaluation criteria, as if you were the client.
- Bid Strategies. Does it reflect the correct bid strategies?
- Additions. Note anything missing that should be added to the section or any parts that require additional detail.
- Deletions. Is there anything that really shouldn’t be there or that a client might find patronizing? Is there anything redundant or superfluous (We disagree with “tell them what you going to tell them” introductions and simply delete them). Is there anything that can be taken out that will make it easier for the evaluator to get through your proposal?
- Changes/corrections. Note anything that is not accurate or requires changing.
- Experience. Has all relevant corporate experience been mentioned? A lot of times proposal reviewers are senior managers and may be aware of project experience that didn’t occur to the proposal team.
- Themes. Are the themes for this section adequately highlighted?
- Graphics/Illustrations. Are there a sufficient number of graphics in the proposal? Is there anything in the text that could be enhanced through illustration?
By Carl Dickson, Founder of CapturePlanning.com and PropLIBRARY
