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How to respond to Request for Proposals (RFP) and win!
Most large proposals are written in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP). An RFP will generally tell you what the customer is interested in procuring and provide instructions regarding how to prepare and submit your proposal. In addition to RFPs, some organizations publish a Request for Information (RFI) when they need information prior to issuing a solicitation, and some publish a Request for Quotation (RFQ) when all they are interested in is the price.
Government procurement is highly regulated, and therefor government RFPs have a particular format and structure. Commercial RFPs do not have to follow the same rules, and can be anything that the company publishing the RFP wants it to be.
How to ensure you are ready to win a qualified lead at RFP release. Your best chances of winning an RFP come when you start the pursuit before the RFP is released. But how do you do that? What steps should your business development process have? How do pursue an opportunity pre-RFP and get to RFP release with the best possible chances of winning? what are the goals, questions, and action items you should accomplish in order to be ready to write the winning proposal?
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Federal Government RFP format and composition is mandated by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). They are typically broken down into sections that are identified by letter. Here is a list of what is in each section. -
It’s easy to feel intimidated when you look at a printed copy of an RFP that’s at least an inch thick (it doesn’t help that they can be much, much larger).
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Many companies have business development gate systems to help ensure that they are pursuing quality leads. Each bid they pursue has to pass through a certain number of "gates" or reviews to determine whether the bid is worth the investment. Some companies have lots of gates (around a dozen) and some companies just have a few. This begs the question, "how many gates should your bid process have?" -
This is a graphic that shows how we divide the pre-RFP period up as part of a process that measures progress and quality against what it will take to win.
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When sales drag on and never close it is often because the customer doesn't have a process in place to define the scope of a project, evaluate proposals, and make an award. Without this foundation, they often fail to act. Find out what to do to prepare yourself and the customer to close the sale. -
Here are some things to consider as you approach RFP release to help prepare you for when the customer stops talking to you and forces all communication to go through the procurement office.
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One of the most important skills to develop is asking the right questions. When you go into your next meeting with the customer, you should anticipate what you'll need to know to write a winning proposal, and ask questions that will get the information you need. -
Being prepared ahead of RFP release means more than having had a meeting with the client and anticipating when the RFP will come out. Here is a list of information that you can collect in advance.
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Sometimes customers release a Request for Information (RFI) before they release the Request for Proposals (RFP). Here are some tips to how to respond to the RFI and position yourself for the RFP. -
An Request for Quotation (RFQ) is different than a Request for Proposals (RFP). Understanding the differences is key to knowing how to respond.
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It is a good idea to provide advice to your customers before the RFP is written. Here are 7 tips that can help the customer prepare a better RFP.
Related PropLIBRARY Articles
- 11 ways to get ahead of the RFP
- 24 ways to influence the RFP
- How do you win before the RFP is even released?
- How to read a U.S. Government RFP
- Pre-RFP Pursuit: Discovering what it will take to win
- Responding to RFPs
- What does the RFP tell you about how to win?
- What does the RFP tell you about how to win?
- What's in a typical Federal Government RFP?
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