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?
What's in a typical Federal Government RFP? The format and composition of a Federal Government RFP is mandated by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This very lengthy and detailed set of rules defines what must go into an RFP and how it must be structured. Government RFPs that are based on the FAR are broken down into sections that are identified by letter (A - M). If you learn what is in each section, you can go straight there and save yourself tons of time. Remembering what is in each letter can be hard if you don't have them memorized. Here is a list of what is in each section:
Section A. Information to offerors or quoters
Identifies the title of the procurement, procurement number, point of contact (POC), how to acknowledge amendments and how to indicate “No Response” if you decide not to bid. Section A often appears as a one page form.
Section B. Supplies or Services and Price/Costs
This is where you provide your pricing. It defines the type of contract, identifies Contract Line Items (CLINs), and Subcontract Line Items (SLINs) that identify billable items, describes the period of performance, identifies option periods (if any), and provides cost and pricing guidelines. This section is often presented and responded to in tabular form.
Section C. Statement of Work (SOW)
Describes what the Government wants you to do or supply. Outside of your pricing, most of your proposal will be responding to this section, tell them how you will deliver what they need. Sometimes this section is contained in a separate appendix and is frequently associated with other appendices in Section J with other details to enable the bidder to understand the nature and scope of the tasks requested in Section C.
Section D. Packages and Marking
Defines how all contract deliverables such as reports and material will be packaged and shipped. This information is important as these instructions may effect costs and raise logistics issues.
Section E. Inspection and Acceptance
Describes the process by which the Government will officially accept deliverables and what to do if the work is not accepted. This can also affect costs and identifies tasks you must be prepared to undertake.
Section F. Deliveries or Performance
Defines how the Government Contracting Officer will control the work performed and how you will deliver certain contract items.
Section G. Contract Administrative Data
Describes how the Government Contracting Officer and your firm will interact and how information will be exchanged in administration of the contract to ensure both performance and prompt payment.
Section H. Special Contract Requirements
Contains a range of special contract requirements important to this particular procurement, such as procedures for managing changes to the original terms of the contract, government furnished equipment (GFE) requirements, and government furnished property (GFP) requirements.
Section I. Contract Clauses/General Provisions
Identifies the contract clauses incorporated by reference in the RFP. These clauses will be incorporated into the contract. While it doesn’t require a separate response, it’s terms will be binding.
Section J. Attachments, Exhibits
Lists the appendices to the RFP. These attachments can cover a wide range of subjects ranging from technical specifications through lists of GFE. It generally is used to provide data you need in order to respond to the Statement of Work.
Section K. Representations/Certifications and Statements of Offerors
Contains things that you must certify to bid on this contract. These can include things such as certification that you have acted according to procurement integrity regulations, your taxpayer identification, the status of personnel, ownership of your firm, type of business organization, authorized negotiators, that your facilities are not segregated, that you comply with affirmative action guidelines, whether you qualify as a small business, disadvantaged business, and/or women owned business, etc.
Section L. Proposal Preparation Instructions and Other
Provides instructions for preparing your proposal. These include any formatting requirements, how they want the material organized/outlined, how to submit questions regarding the RFP or procurement, how the proposal is to be delivered, and sometimes notices, conditions, or other instructions.
Section M. Evaluation Criteria
Defines the factor, subfactors, and elements used to “grade” the proposal. Proposals are graded and then cost is considered to determine who wins the award and gets the contract.
Section A. Information to offerors or quoters
Identifies the title of the procurement, procurement number, point of contact (POC), how to acknowledge amendments and how to indicate “No Response” if you decide not to bid. Section A often appears as a one page form.
Section B. Supplies or Services and Price/Costs
This is where you provide your pricing. It defines the type of contract, identifies Contract Line Items (CLINs), and Subcontract Line Items (SLINs) that identify billable items, describes the period of performance, identifies option periods (if any), and provides cost and pricing guidelines. This section is often presented and responded to in tabular form.
Section C. Statement of Work (SOW)
Describes what the Government wants you to do or supply. Outside of your pricing, most of your proposal will be responding to this section, tell them how you will deliver what they need. Sometimes this section is contained in a separate appendix and is frequently associated with other appendices in Section J with other details to enable the bidder to understand the nature and scope of the tasks requested in Section C.
Section D. Packages and Marking
Defines how all contract deliverables such as reports and material will be packaged and shipped. This information is important as these instructions may effect costs and raise logistics issues.
Section E. Inspection and Acceptance
Describes the process by which the Government will officially accept deliverables and what to do if the work is not accepted. This can also affect costs and identifies tasks you must be prepared to undertake.
Section F. Deliveries or Performance
Defines how the Government Contracting Officer will control the work performed and how you will deliver certain contract items.
Section G. Contract Administrative Data
Describes how the Government Contracting Officer and your firm will interact and how information will be exchanged in administration of the contract to ensure both performance and prompt payment.
Section H. Special Contract Requirements
Contains a range of special contract requirements important to this particular procurement, such as procedures for managing changes to the original terms of the contract, government furnished equipment (GFE) requirements, and government furnished property (GFP) requirements.
Section I. Contract Clauses/General Provisions
Identifies the contract clauses incorporated by reference in the RFP. These clauses will be incorporated into the contract. While it doesn’t require a separate response, it’s terms will be binding.
Section J. Attachments, Exhibits
Lists the appendices to the RFP. These attachments can cover a wide range of subjects ranging from technical specifications through lists of GFE. It generally is used to provide data you need in order to respond to the Statement of Work.
Section K. Representations/Certifications and Statements of Offerors
Contains things that you must certify to bid on this contract. These can include things such as certification that you have acted according to procurement integrity regulations, your taxpayer identification, the status of personnel, ownership of your firm, type of business organization, authorized negotiators, that your facilities are not segregated, that you comply with affirmative action guidelines, whether you qualify as a small business, disadvantaged business, and/or women owned business, etc.
Section L. Proposal Preparation Instructions and Other
Provides instructions for preparing your proposal. These include any formatting requirements, how they want the material organized/outlined, how to submit questions regarding the RFP or procurement, how the proposal is to be delivered, and sometimes notices, conditions, or other instructions.
Section M. Evaluation Criteria
Defines the factor, subfactors, and elements used to “grade” the proposal. Proposals are graded and then cost is considered to determine who wins the award and gets the contract.
How to read a Federal Government RFP The first thing to realize when reading a Federal Government RFP is that you don’t have to read the whole thing!
It'’s easy to feel intimidated when you look at a printed copy of an RFP that’s at least an inch thick (or even much, much larger). When you realize how much of it is content you have to read vs. how much it is boilerplate that’s there because regulations say it has to be there, it’s not nearly as bad.
The format for most Government RFPs is fixed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The FAR mandates that Government RFPs be divided into sections A through M. Each of these sections has a certain purpose and must contain certain information. But only a few of these sections relate to what to bid and how to prepare your proposal. Of the lettered sections, the key ones to focus on are:
Section L. Where you’ll find the instructions for formatting, organizing, and submitting your proposal Section M. Where you’ll find the criteria and scoring system that will be used to determine whether your proposal wins. Section C. This is where they say what it is they want you to propose (often called the "Statement of Work"). Section B. This is where they tell you how to format your pricing. And sometimes, Section J. Sometimes they hide important stuff (like the Statement of Work) in Section J, attachments. This doesn’t mean that the other sections are not necessary. Some may have things that you must respond to, like Section K, where they put the “Certificationss and Representations” (Where you may have to “Certify” or “Represent” things like whether you are a U.S. firm, a minority firm, that you haven'’t defaulted on previous contracts, etc.). But the others are part of the legal form or contract boilerplate, and you won’t have to read them the same way you will the Statement of Work and Evaluation Criteria.
The best approach to reading a Government RFP isn'’t necessary to read it sequentially from start to finish the way you would a book. Instead, first look at Section A (usually the cover page). In a box on this page is the due date. Now you know how much time you have to prepare your response. Next jump to Section L and focus on how they want the proposal organized. Whether you think it makes sense or not, you absolutely must follow their outline. Then go to Section M and find out how you will be graded and what they think is important. Now go back to Section C and find out what you have to propose doing or supplying. To really understand how and what to offer, you'll also need to look at Section B, so you can see whether they want it priced by the hour, in fixed price units, or some other way.
Keep in mind that how you present the proposal will be bound by the instructions in Section L and how you will be graded is in Section M. Section C may take 50 pages to describe something that is only 10% of the grade, and only 5 pages to describe something that is 50% of your grade. Read Section C with the evaluation criteria in mind.
Here are some additional things to look for:
When reading Section L: Look for instructions regarding page count, page layout (margins, fonts, page sizes), submission method, and outline/content. When reading Section M: Look for scoring method, score weighting, evaluation process, past performance approach, and “best value” terminology. When reading Section C: Look for requirements (are they explained, understandable, and/or ambiguous?), contradictions (between requirements as well as Section L and M), feasibility, and opportunities for differentiation between you and your competitors. When reading Section B: Look for correspondence to the requirements and evaluation criteria. While you don't have to read everything at first, you really should at some point read the whole RFP because sometimes you'll find something important hiding in those other sections (maybe an insurance requirement, a deliverable schedule, etc.). Once you've read a few government RFPs, you'll be able to do it quickly because you'll know where to skim and where to focus.
Different sections of the RFP are often written by different authors, and sometimes boilerplate is inserted without adequate review. Do not be surprised to find contradictions and ambiguities. Ask questions (you should find a deadline for them in Section L). Sometimes the interplay between the various sections can provide valuable insight into what they have in mind. Make sure you comply to the letter and give the potential customer what they want instead of what you want for them.
It'’s easy to feel intimidated when you look at a printed copy of an RFP that’s at least an inch thick (or even much, much larger). When you realize how much of it is content you have to read vs. how much it is boilerplate that’s there because regulations say it has to be there, it’s not nearly as bad.
The format for most Government RFPs is fixed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The FAR mandates that Government RFPs be divided into sections A through M. Each of these sections has a certain purpose and must contain certain information. But only a few of these sections relate to what to bid and how to prepare your proposal. Of the lettered sections, the key ones to focus on are:
Section L. Where you’ll find the instructions for formatting, organizing, and submitting your proposal Section M. Where you’ll find the criteria and scoring system that will be used to determine whether your proposal wins. Section C. This is where they say what it is they want you to propose (often called the "Statement of Work"). Section B. This is where they tell you how to format your pricing. And sometimes, Section J. Sometimes they hide important stuff (like the Statement of Work) in Section J, attachments. This doesn’t mean that the other sections are not necessary. Some may have things that you must respond to, like Section K, where they put the “Certificationss and Representations” (Where you may have to “Certify” or “Represent” things like whether you are a U.S. firm, a minority firm, that you haven'’t defaulted on previous contracts, etc.). But the others are part of the legal form or contract boilerplate, and you won’t have to read them the same way you will the Statement of Work and Evaluation Criteria.
The best approach to reading a Government RFP isn'’t necessary to read it sequentially from start to finish the way you would a book. Instead, first look at Section A (usually the cover page). In a box on this page is the due date. Now you know how much time you have to prepare your response. Next jump to Section L and focus on how they want the proposal organized. Whether you think it makes sense or not, you absolutely must follow their outline. Then go to Section M and find out how you will be graded and what they think is important. Now go back to Section C and find out what you have to propose doing or supplying. To really understand how and what to offer, you'll also need to look at Section B, so you can see whether they want it priced by the hour, in fixed price units, or some other way.
Keep in mind that how you present the proposal will be bound by the instructions in Section L and how you will be graded is in Section M. Section C may take 50 pages to describe something that is only 10% of the grade, and only 5 pages to describe something that is 50% of your grade. Read Section C with the evaluation criteria in mind.
Here are some additional things to look for:
When reading Section L: Look for instructions regarding page count, page layout (margins, fonts, page sizes), submission method, and outline/content. When reading Section M: Look for scoring method, score weighting, evaluation process, past performance approach, and “best value” terminology. When reading Section C: Look for requirements (are they explained, understandable, and/or ambiguous?), contradictions (between requirements as well as Section L and M), feasibility, and opportunities for differentiation between you and your competitors. When reading Section B: Look for correspondence to the requirements and evaluation criteria. While you don't have to read everything at first, you really should at some point read the whole RFP because sometimes you'll find something important hiding in those other sections (maybe an insurance requirement, a deliverable schedule, etc.). Once you've read a few government RFPs, you'll be able to do it quickly because you'll know where to skim and where to focus.
Different sections of the RFP are often written by different authors, and sometimes boilerplate is inserted without adequate review. Do not be surprised to find contradictions and ambiguities. Ask questions (you should find a deadline for them in Section L). Sometimes the interplay between the various sections can provide valuable insight into what they have in mind. Make sure you comply to the letter and give the potential customer what they want instead of what you want for them.
How Many Gates Should Your Bid Process Have? 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?”
Gate systems are often considered when a company realizes that it needs to formalize its bid/no bid decision making. First you realize that you need to make a formal bid/no bid decision. Then you realize that there is no one point in time that’s best to do it. You can’t really decide to bid until you see the RFP. You shouldn’t invest in pre-RFP pursuit without due consideration. So right there are your first two gates. But is it one at lead identification and one after RFP release? Or do you need another one in between? Or more than one?
You need to decide things like:
How much to budget for pursuit. But should you make it available all at once, or a little at a time? Whether you think you can win. But you learn this over time. Whether you have gathered all the right intelligence that you can in order to support the bid. Whether to go it alone or team with other companies. What to offer. What your win strategies should be. How much to budget for the proposal and what resources to use in preparing it. How many gates does that add up to?
The answer doesn’t matter, because it's not the number of gates that matters — it's what you achieve at each one.
If you make a list of what you need to achieve prior to starting the bid, then you can decide how many gates or reviews to allocate them to. And that’s the hard part — knowing what you need to achieve prior to starting the bid.
In the off-the-shelf process documentation we offer, we recommend four reviews. Why four? Because it makes the math easy. If you start a year ahead of RFP release, you get three months to prepare for each. If you start a month ahead of RFP release, you get a week to prepare for each. Because each still has the same questions to answer, goals, and action items, it's easy to see how you get better results the earlier you start.
What matters more than the number of reviews is what you have on your list of questions, goals, and action items to be achieved at each review. In general, we characterize the four reviews we recommend as: Lead Identification, Lead Qualification, Intelligence Gathering, and Proposal Preparation. Within each review, we separate the questions, goals, and action items into categories like customer, offering, competitive environment, and self-awareness. The questions build on each other to break things down into more and more detail, and ensure readiness at RFP release.
When structured properly, you not only get a way to measure whether you are ready for RFP release, but you also get a matrix of metrics that you can use to identify what impacts your win rates the most. In our process documentation we show you how to turn the questions into a system of metrics and measurements that you can use not only to measure your progress towards readiness, but also to assess what impacts your win rates.
Gate systems are often considered when a company realizes that it needs to formalize its bid/no bid decision making. First you realize that you need to make a formal bid/no bid decision. Then you realize that there is no one point in time that’s best to do it. You can’t really decide to bid until you see the RFP. You shouldn’t invest in pre-RFP pursuit without due consideration. So right there are your first two gates. But is it one at lead identification and one after RFP release? Or do you need another one in between? Or more than one?
You need to decide things like:
How much to budget for pursuit. But should you make it available all at once, or a little at a time? Whether you think you can win. But you learn this over time. Whether you have gathered all the right intelligence that you can in order to support the bid. Whether to go it alone or team with other companies. What to offer. What your win strategies should be. How much to budget for the proposal and what resources to use in preparing it. How many gates does that add up to?
The answer doesn’t matter, because it's not the number of gates that matters — it's what you achieve at each one.
If you make a list of what you need to achieve prior to starting the bid, then you can decide how many gates or reviews to allocate them to. And that’s the hard part — knowing what you need to achieve prior to starting the bid.
In the off-the-shelf process documentation we offer, we recommend four reviews. Why four? Because it makes the math easy. If you start a year ahead of RFP release, you get three months to prepare for each. If you start a month ahead of RFP release, you get a week to prepare for each. Because each still has the same questions to answer, goals, and action items, it's easy to see how you get better results the earlier you start.
What matters more than the number of reviews is what you have on your list of questions, goals, and action items to be achieved at each review. In general, we characterize the four reviews we recommend as: Lead Identification, Lead Qualification, Intelligence Gathering, and Proposal Preparation. Within each review, we separate the questions, goals, and action items into categories like customer, offering, competitive environment, and self-awareness. The questions build on each other to break things down into more and more detail, and ensure readiness at RFP release.
When structured properly, you not only get a way to measure whether you are ready for RFP release, but you also get a matrix of metrics that you can use to identify what impacts your win rates the most. In our process documentation we show you how to turn the questions into a system of metrics and measurements that you can use not only to measure your progress towards readiness, but also to assess what impacts your win rates.
How do you discover what it will take to win? Within the CapturePlanning.com MustWin Process we measure progress and quality against what it will take to win. During the critical pre-RFP phase of the pursuit, we use Readiness Reviews to ensure measurable progress. For each of the four Readiness Reviews, specific questions, goals, and action items must be completed. Within our process documentation we provide a nice long list of the specific questions, goals, and action items you can use to arrive at RFP release ready to write the winning proposal. The purpose of this graphic is to help you understand how to design and customize your Readiness Reviews in order to know what it will take to win. Also, it helps the people executing the process to see how the Readiness Reviews "add up" to knowing what it will take to win.
Don't Lose the Sale Because the Customer Doesn't Want to Write an RFP A company I know recently asked to me to help them prepare a proposal. As we talked, they realized that while they had talked to the customer and the customer was interested, they hadn't sufficiently defined the scope in order to write a proposal. They knew that they could meet the customer's needs, but they couldn't figure out how to price it in a proposal because there were too many alternatives and too many unanswered questions. Their sales process succeeded in getting the customer's attention and interest, but broke down when it came to preparing the customer to receive a proposal. Without a defined scope of work, they couldn't write a proposal because there were too many possible ways to structure a deal.
Even if they had a defined scope of work, they hadn't discussed with the customer what process the customer would follow to receive a proposal, evaluate it, and make an award. Even though it can be difficult to initiate, it is important to have a conversation with your customer about what they would like to see in the proposal --- what the scope of services should be, how it should be priced, and how it will be evaluated. This conversation will help prepare them to receive your proposal and provide a common basis of understanding for how the process should work.
A conversation about how the customer would like to move forward can be valuable in other ways. You may find that a proposal isn't even necessary, that the customer has accepted your qualifications and is prepared to sign a contract. Or you may find that the customer is just browsing and is perfectly willing to accept all the information you care to provide, but has no real intention of closing a deal. This conversation gives you a chance to evaluate how serious the customer is. It can also give you a chance to influence the proposal in ways that can work to your advantage and make things more difficult for any potential competitors.
Even if the customer is serious, if they have to write an RFP it can be a serious impediment to closing a sale. If the customer has never prepared an RFP and has no process to evaluate a proposal, this conversation may be the only way they will get sufficiently organized to prepare one. When sales drag on and never close it is often because this preparation was not done. The customer doesn't know how to reach a decision and close a deal from their end. When a customer receives a proposal that they don't know how to evaluate and have no criteria to evaluate it against, they often fail to act on the proposal. If you want the sale to close, you need to make sure that the customer has this process in place.
Even if they had a defined scope of work, they hadn't discussed with the customer what process the customer would follow to receive a proposal, evaluate it, and make an award. Even though it can be difficult to initiate, it is important to have a conversation with your customer about what they would like to see in the proposal --- what the scope of services should be, how it should be priced, and how it will be evaluated. This conversation will help prepare them to receive your proposal and provide a common basis of understanding for how the process should work.
A conversation about how the customer would like to move forward can be valuable in other ways. You may find that a proposal isn't even necessary, that the customer has accepted your qualifications and is prepared to sign a contract. Or you may find that the customer is just browsing and is perfectly willing to accept all the information you care to provide, but has no real intention of closing a deal. This conversation gives you a chance to evaluate how serious the customer is. It can also give you a chance to influence the proposal in ways that can work to your advantage and make things more difficult for any potential competitors.
Even if the customer is serious, if they have to write an RFP it can be a serious impediment to closing a sale. If the customer has never prepared an RFP and has no process to evaluate a proposal, this conversation may be the only way they will get sufficiently organized to prepare one. When sales drag on and never close it is often because this preparation was not done. The customer doesn't know how to reach a decision and close a deal from their end. When a customer receives a proposal that they don't know how to evaluate and have no criteria to evaluate it against, they often fail to act on the proposal. If you want the sale to close, you need to make sure that the customer has this process in place.
6 Capture Goals Impacted By How RFP Release Changes Your Customer Relationship If you’re used to dealing with a mild-mannered, sometimes talkative Contract Officer (CO) who believes in Santa Claus and loves apple pie before RFP release, then you may be in for an enormous, personally unsettling change of behavior on the CO’s part when the RFP is released. The reason for this abrupt change of behavior may escape you, but you’re not dreaming. Something really did happen to cause the change… the RFP was released.
RFPs with formal evaluation procedures usually regulate how the CO interacts with vendors once the RFP is released. This is certainly true in government procurements. In commercial procurements it depends on how formalized their procedures are. The rules are intended to ensure that bids remain fair, open, and competitive by ensuring that all vendors receive the same communications. This often ends up meaning that they will basically no longer communicate with you at all, except in writing.
Here are some things to consider as you approach RFP release to help prepare you for when “The Change” strikes and complicates your Pre-Proposal efforts and impedes your capture goals. The chart below focuses on goals that capture managers typically have regarding their customer contacts. The goals are divided into six recognizable categories with sub-goals to assist in understanding behavioral reactions brought on by “The Change.” The “Before” and “After” columns show how your tactics may need to be different before and after the RFP is released.
Goal Before RFP Release After RFP Release To help the customer define their technical requirements, assess alternatives, get an RFP written, and understand and execute the procurement process. Persuade them into brainstorming mode. Make suggestions for how to approach the procurement. You are limited to submitting written questions. The CO responds by distributing all questions submitted and all answers provided to all offerors. When possible, your questions should be prepared to lead the CO to your desired response. To understand their plans and goals, their procurement processes, and their preferences. Discuss what they are trying to accomplish. Try to determine why they're taking a certain approach. Make substantive suggestions from an "objective" point of view. You are limited to reading about their goals in the RFP. You can submit questions in writing, but only if they're valid and important enough to ask. Remember, if you can't stand the answer, don't ask the question. To identify the decision makers and who are involved in the procurement, especially the evaluators. Also, to identify how they fit into the customer’s organization. In your frequent customer interactions, ask questions in a direct and helpful manner. Keep in mind that your normal customer contacts may not be the evaluators of your proposal. Visit identified decision makers, and endeavor to see if they will identify other decision makers. If you know the decision makers, craft your proposal to be compliant with the RFP plus meet their needs, wants, and "Hot Buttons." If you don't know who they are, be as compliant with the RFP as possible. Assess the competitive environment and determine what other companies already do business with the customer in similar areas, what other companies may have influenced the procurement, the strengths and weaknesses of the competition, and which are competitors and which are potential teaming partners. Ensure that your Customer Contact Plan remains active at all times with everyone on your team asking plenty of questions of the customer. You'll be astonished at what you can discover. Be observant so that you can spot a competitor in the customer's office, and try to determine who they might be speaking with or frequently visit. If this happens, that customer point of contact needs lots of your best support right away. Ask for a list of interested bidders. Go back and review an attendance list for "Industry Day", the "Bidders Conference", etc. If you've got nothing else to go on, search "on-line" resources for information on incumbents and their teammates, or anything else of value. Answers to questions that you didn't submit may hold lots of helpful information. To introduce yourself. While you want the customer to recognize you later, you want to be perceived as an asset to them, and not a drain on their time. Remember the procurement is about them, and not about you. So be supportive, well informed, and sincere when asking questions of them. Even if the purpose for a meeting is an initial introduction, make the most of it -- you may not get another chance. There isn’t a whole lot you can accomplish now by way of introductions. Remember "The Change" has occurred, and if you ask a question, do not unnecessarily reveal your company identity or that of your teammates since that might damage your reputation or help the competition. To influence the procurement, and recommend procurement strategies, RFP requirements, evaluation criteria, and/or small business utilization requirements. If you receive a draft RFP(s) for review and comment, make absolutely sure that you provide an excellent team response. This may be your only time to shape requirements to favor your solution. With or without a draft RFP, use every opportunity to assess your team's presumptions and beliefs regarding the customer's acquisition. This is the time to make corrections in your Capture Plan. It's probably too late. However, remain alert and never let your guard down. There may be that “one in a million” chance where a crucial question by you or an answer to a competitor's question could turn the tide in your favor. We hope that these suggestions prove helpful to you, and that “The Change” never visits your proposal room.
RFPs with formal evaluation procedures usually regulate how the CO interacts with vendors once the RFP is released. This is certainly true in government procurements. In commercial procurements it depends on how formalized their procedures are. The rules are intended to ensure that bids remain fair, open, and competitive by ensuring that all vendors receive the same communications. This often ends up meaning that they will basically no longer communicate with you at all, except in writing.
Here are some things to consider as you approach RFP release to help prepare you for when “The Change” strikes and complicates your Pre-Proposal efforts and impedes your capture goals. The chart below focuses on goals that capture managers typically have regarding their customer contacts. The goals are divided into six recognizable categories with sub-goals to assist in understanding behavioral reactions brought on by “The Change.” The “Before” and “After” columns show how your tactics may need to be different before and after the RFP is released.
Goal Before RFP Release After RFP Release To help the customer define their technical requirements, assess alternatives, get an RFP written, and understand and execute the procurement process. Persuade them into brainstorming mode. Make suggestions for how to approach the procurement. You are limited to submitting written questions. The CO responds by distributing all questions submitted and all answers provided to all offerors. When possible, your questions should be prepared to lead the CO to your desired response. To understand their plans and goals, their procurement processes, and their preferences. Discuss what they are trying to accomplish. Try to determine why they're taking a certain approach. Make substantive suggestions from an "objective" point of view. You are limited to reading about their goals in the RFP. You can submit questions in writing, but only if they're valid and important enough to ask. Remember, if you can't stand the answer, don't ask the question. To identify the decision makers and who are involved in the procurement, especially the evaluators. Also, to identify how they fit into the customer’s organization. In your frequent customer interactions, ask questions in a direct and helpful manner. Keep in mind that your normal customer contacts may not be the evaluators of your proposal. Visit identified decision makers, and endeavor to see if they will identify other decision makers. If you know the decision makers, craft your proposal to be compliant with the RFP plus meet their needs, wants, and "Hot Buttons." If you don't know who they are, be as compliant with the RFP as possible. Assess the competitive environment and determine what other companies already do business with the customer in similar areas, what other companies may have influenced the procurement, the strengths and weaknesses of the competition, and which are competitors and which are potential teaming partners. Ensure that your Customer Contact Plan remains active at all times with everyone on your team asking plenty of questions of the customer. You'll be astonished at what you can discover. Be observant so that you can spot a competitor in the customer's office, and try to determine who they might be speaking with or frequently visit. If this happens, that customer point of contact needs lots of your best support right away. Ask for a list of interested bidders. Go back and review an attendance list for "Industry Day", the "Bidders Conference", etc. If you've got nothing else to go on, search "on-line" resources for information on incumbents and their teammates, or anything else of value. Answers to questions that you didn't submit may hold lots of helpful information. To introduce yourself. While you want the customer to recognize you later, you want to be perceived as an asset to them, and not a drain on their time. Remember the procurement is about them, and not about you. So be supportive, well informed, and sincere when asking questions of them. Even if the purpose for a meeting is an initial introduction, make the most of it -- you may not get another chance. There isn’t a whole lot you can accomplish now by way of introductions. Remember "The Change" has occurred, and if you ask a question, do not unnecessarily reveal your company identity or that of your teammates since that might damage your reputation or help the competition. To influence the procurement, and recommend procurement strategies, RFP requirements, evaluation criteria, and/or small business utilization requirements. If you receive a draft RFP(s) for review and comment, make absolutely sure that you provide an excellent team response. This may be your only time to shape requirements to favor your solution. With or without a draft RFP, use every opportunity to assess your team's presumptions and beliefs regarding the customer's acquisition. This is the time to make corrections in your Capture Plan. It's probably too late. However, remain alert and never let your guard down. There may be that “one in a million” chance where a crucial question by you or an answer to a competitor's question could turn the tide in your favor. We hope that these suggestions prove helpful to you, and that “The Change” never visits your proposal room.
Winning By Asking The Right Questions, With 9 Sets of Examples If you want to write better proposals, 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. When you start your next proposal, try asking yourself what questions the customer needs answered to make their selection.
To develop your skills, try looking at the entire process and every aspect of what you need to do to win in terms of the questions you should ask. The process of identifying customers, understanding their requirements, and responding with a proposal is basically a flow of information, all of which can be articulated as questions.
To help get you started, here are a number of questions, grouped into topics. It's not intended to be an all-encompassing list, but rather a different way of looking at things that can inspire you to formulate the questions you will need to be successful:
Understanding the customer. What do you need to know about the customer to prepare a better proposal? Their priorities? Preferences? How they will make trade-off decisions? How they will perform the evaluation and make their selection? Relevant experiences they’ve had in the past, both good and bad? What they think is necessary for success? What kind of results they are looking for? Making estimates and pricing your offering. Pricing is often the last thing to be completed on a proposal. And yet that’s when people realize a lot of questions about what should be included/excluded, assumed, limited, etc. Knowing what questions to ask in order to make better estimates can result in better pricing, as well as a better narrative response. Understanding the competitive environment. Can you identify your competitors? Are they few or many? If you can’t identify your competitors by name, can you profile them or categorize them? What are their strengths, weaknesses, and other attributes? Are any of them potential teaming partners? Developing win strategies. What is it going to take to win? What does the customer need to know or do to select you? Why should they pick you instead of someone else? What motivates the customer? Writing a proposal section. What questions will the customer have about this topic? About you? About your offering? What process will the customer go through in performing their evaluation? How can you help them make a selection? How does the topic you are writing about relate to the win strategies and themes needed to win the proposal? How can you maximize your evaluation score? How will the customer benefit from what you are proposing? If you were the customer, what would you want to see in the proposal? Exceeding RFP compliance. Who, what, where, how, when, and why. Answer all of them, especially the ones they forgot to ask. Winning before the RFP is released. What will it take to achieve a competitive advantage? What questions do you need to ask to achieve an information advantage? Understanding the proposal process. Who are the stakeholders? What functional roles need to be covered? What are the information needs of each stakeholder? What information should you seek? What format should you store it in so it can build and retain usefulness for the next stakeholder? What guidance do participants need? What do you need to do to win? Reviewing the proposal. Does the narrative draft reflect what was in the content plan? Is it written from the customer’s point of view? Is there anything that should be added or deleted? Is it optimized against the evaluation criteria? The next time you are working on a proposal and you don’t know what to do, try thinking of questions — your questions, the customer’s questions, and the questions of any other stakeholders. Your likelihood of winning will be in direct proportion to your ability to anticipate and answer those questions.
To develop your skills, try looking at the entire process and every aspect of what you need to do to win in terms of the questions you should ask. The process of identifying customers, understanding their requirements, and responding with a proposal is basically a flow of information, all of which can be articulated as questions.
To help get you started, here are a number of questions, grouped into topics. It's not intended to be an all-encompassing list, but rather a different way of looking at things that can inspire you to formulate the questions you will need to be successful:
Understanding the customer. What do you need to know about the customer to prepare a better proposal? Their priorities? Preferences? How they will make trade-off decisions? How they will perform the evaluation and make their selection? Relevant experiences they’ve had in the past, both good and bad? What they think is necessary for success? What kind of results they are looking for? Making estimates and pricing your offering. Pricing is often the last thing to be completed on a proposal. And yet that’s when people realize a lot of questions about what should be included/excluded, assumed, limited, etc. Knowing what questions to ask in order to make better estimates can result in better pricing, as well as a better narrative response. Understanding the competitive environment. Can you identify your competitors? Are they few or many? If you can’t identify your competitors by name, can you profile them or categorize them? What are their strengths, weaknesses, and other attributes? Are any of them potential teaming partners? Developing win strategies. What is it going to take to win? What does the customer need to know or do to select you? Why should they pick you instead of someone else? What motivates the customer? Writing a proposal section. What questions will the customer have about this topic? About you? About your offering? What process will the customer go through in performing their evaluation? How can you help them make a selection? How does the topic you are writing about relate to the win strategies and themes needed to win the proposal? How can you maximize your evaluation score? How will the customer benefit from what you are proposing? If you were the customer, what would you want to see in the proposal? Exceeding RFP compliance. Who, what, where, how, when, and why. Answer all of them, especially the ones they forgot to ask. Winning before the RFP is released. What will it take to achieve a competitive advantage? What questions do you need to ask to achieve an information advantage? Understanding the proposal process. Who are the stakeholders? What functional roles need to be covered? What are the information needs of each stakeholder? What information should you seek? What format should you store it in so it can build and retain usefulness for the next stakeholder? What guidance do participants need? What do you need to do to win? Reviewing the proposal. Does the narrative draft reflect what was in the content plan? Is it written from the customer’s point of view? Is there anything that should be added or deleted? Is it optimized against the evaluation criteria? The next time you are working on a proposal and you don’t know what to do, try thinking of questions — your questions, the customer’s questions, and the questions of any other stakeholders. Your likelihood of winning will be in direct proportion to your ability to anticipate and answer those questions.
Information to collect in anticipation of RFP release 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. If you have all of this on the day of RFP release you will be much better prepared to write the winning proposal.
Features/Benefits, discriminators, and key points. What will be the key features of your approach? Be sure to include the corresponding benefits to the customer for each. Highlight things that will discriminate you from your competitors.
Competitive Issues. List all known competitors, by name or category. Include their strengths and weaknesses. Address how to ghost their weaknesses. Identify which are potential teaming partners.
Risk Mitigation. Identify key sources of risk (both in bidding and in performance) and your approach to mitigate each. Address how risk can potentially impact performance, cost, and schedule and what you will do to prevent it.
Relevant Corporate Experience. List any projects that are relevant to this one. Include as many details as possible. Highlight sound bites that can be incorporated into the proposal response.
Past performance. Survey your clients yourself so that you are aware of how they will respond to a past performance inquiry. Make sure the contact data you have is current.
Identify Graphics/Illustrations. Prepare a list of graphics, illustrations, or photographs that will go into your response. Key processes, relationships, structures, and diagrams should all be on the list.
Components of the Solution/Approach. Identify the key aspects of the solution or approach to be proposed. If specific products or technologies are involved, identify them. If a project is to be followed, identify the steps.
Client data. Client organization charts, mission statements, budgets, strategic plans, relevant standards that must be complied with, sources of internal and external pressure, client preferences, and your best guesses regard who will participate in the evaluation.
Features/Benefits, discriminators, and key points. What will be the key features of your approach? Be sure to include the corresponding benefits to the customer for each. Highlight things that will discriminate you from your competitors.
Competitive Issues. List all known competitors, by name or category. Include their strengths and weaknesses. Address how to ghost their weaknesses. Identify which are potential teaming partners.
Risk Mitigation. Identify key sources of risk (both in bidding and in performance) and your approach to mitigate each. Address how risk can potentially impact performance, cost, and schedule and what you will do to prevent it.
Relevant Corporate Experience. List any projects that are relevant to this one. Include as many details as possible. Highlight sound bites that can be incorporated into the proposal response.
Past performance. Survey your clients yourself so that you are aware of how they will respond to a past performance inquiry. Make sure the contact data you have is current.
Identify Graphics/Illustrations. Prepare a list of graphics, illustrations, or photographs that will go into your response. Key processes, relationships, structures, and diagrams should all be on the list.
Components of the Solution/Approach. Identify the key aspects of the solution or approach to be proposed. If specific products or technologies are involved, identify them. If a project is to be followed, identify the steps.
Client data. Client organization charts, mission statements, budgets, strategic plans, relevant standards that must be complied with, sources of internal and external pressure, client preferences, and your best guesses regard who will participate in the evaluation.
How to Respond to an RFI or a Sources Sought Notice When the Government is considering a procurement, but is not sure what to put in the RFP or who would respond to it, they often issue a Request for Information (RFI). An RFI provides you with an opportunity to make suggestions regarding what they should include in the future RFP if it goes forward. It also gives you an opportunity to show the customer that you are qualified, responsive, and helpful.
Sometimes, responding to an RFI is required if you want to be able to respond to the future RFP. When this is the case, it will say so in the text of the announcement.
When responding to an RFI, there are several things that you can try to influence, in order to give you a competitive advantage should an RFP be released in the future. These include influencing the:
Technical scope. Try to include requirements that will limit the field of competitors. Specifications. Make recommendations that you can comply with, but will be difficult for others. Contract Type. If you have a preference, here is your chance to make a recommendation. Contract Vehicle. If you have a contract vehicle that you think is advantageous, recommend its use. Provide sufficient detail (POCs, procedures, contract numbers, etc.) so that they can implement your recommendation. Small Business. If you are a small business and think you can do the word yourself, recommend that it be released as a small business set-aside (or small disadvantaged business, if you qualify). If you are not a small business, you may want to point out any aspects of what they need that would be difficult for a small business to provide. Then state your willingness to team with a small business if required. Pricing. With many programs, choices made early on can have a big impact on the price. Here is your chance to influence those choices. Past Performance. If you don’t have any Government project past performance, make sure you recommend that they consider relevant commercial experience. Certifications. If you have any relevant certifications, recommend that they become requirements to limit the competitive field. If you don’t have relevant certifications, recommend that they not be required because they would limit the amount of competition, really are not relevant, would increase the price, etc. Methodologies. If there is a particular approach you would take, describe it so that they can make it a requirement. Make sure that you describe your recommendations in language that can be included in the RFP. Keep in mind that if you make a recommendation and it ends up in the RFP, everyone will see it and bid accordingly. Sometimes this will level the playing field and you will lose the competitive advantage. These recommendations are better to save for when you are responding to the RFP, so that you can keep the advantage and stand out from the crowd.
There are other documents that are similar in nature to an “RFI” that they sometimes request. Two of these include:
Sources Sought Notice. Usually used when they know what they want, but not who can provide it. Market Survey. Used to find out about a market and its suppliers. If you have questions about what they are trying to do, you should call the contracting officer. In fact, you should look for an excuse to call, if only to make contact and boost name recognition. Because it is not (yet) a procurement, you may find them willing to talk and to discuss options, trade-offs, intentions, and other critically important concerns that they will not be willing to discuss once an RFP is released.
RFIs are often announced on Fedbizopps (http://www.fedbizopps.gov). You can do searches for the following words to find them:
RFI ”Request for Information” ”Sources Sought” ”Market Survey” ”Pre-Solicitation Notice” Responding to RFIs is an excellent way to identify new business opportunities, find a point-of-contact, and establish a relationship with the customer before the RFP hits the street. Often, it can be many months from the release of an RFI to the release of an RFP, and not all RFIs will result in an RFP release.
Sometimes, responding to an RFI is required if you want to be able to respond to the future RFP. When this is the case, it will say so in the text of the announcement.
When responding to an RFI, there are several things that you can try to influence, in order to give you a competitive advantage should an RFP be released in the future. These include influencing the:
Technical scope. Try to include requirements that will limit the field of competitors. Specifications. Make recommendations that you can comply with, but will be difficult for others. Contract Type. If you have a preference, here is your chance to make a recommendation. Contract Vehicle. If you have a contract vehicle that you think is advantageous, recommend its use. Provide sufficient detail (POCs, procedures, contract numbers, etc.) so that they can implement your recommendation. Small Business. If you are a small business and think you can do the word yourself, recommend that it be released as a small business set-aside (or small disadvantaged business, if you qualify). If you are not a small business, you may want to point out any aspects of what they need that would be difficult for a small business to provide. Then state your willingness to team with a small business if required. Pricing. With many programs, choices made early on can have a big impact on the price. Here is your chance to influence those choices. Past Performance. If you don’t have any Government project past performance, make sure you recommend that they consider relevant commercial experience. Certifications. If you have any relevant certifications, recommend that they become requirements to limit the competitive field. If you don’t have relevant certifications, recommend that they not be required because they would limit the amount of competition, really are not relevant, would increase the price, etc. Methodologies. If there is a particular approach you would take, describe it so that they can make it a requirement. Make sure that you describe your recommendations in language that can be included in the RFP. Keep in mind that if you make a recommendation and it ends up in the RFP, everyone will see it and bid accordingly. Sometimes this will level the playing field and you will lose the competitive advantage. These recommendations are better to save for when you are responding to the RFP, so that you can keep the advantage and stand out from the crowd.
There are other documents that are similar in nature to an “RFI” that they sometimes request. Two of these include:
Sources Sought Notice. Usually used when they know what they want, but not who can provide it. Market Survey. Used to find out about a market and its suppliers. If you have questions about what they are trying to do, you should call the contracting officer. In fact, you should look for an excuse to call, if only to make contact and boost name recognition. Because it is not (yet) a procurement, you may find them willing to talk and to discuss options, trade-offs, intentions, and other critically important concerns that they will not be willing to discuss once an RFP is released.
RFIs are often announced on Fedbizopps (http://www.fedbizopps.gov). You can do searches for the following words to find them:
RFI ”Request for Information” ”Sources Sought” ”Market Survey” ”Pre-Solicitation Notice” Responding to RFIs is an excellent way to identify new business opportunities, find a point-of-contact, and establish a relationship with the customer before the RFP hits the street. Often, it can be many months from the release of an RFI to the release of an RFP, and not all RFIs will result in an RFP release.
How to approach a Request for Quotation Quote requests are usually used for the purchase of commodities, such as commercial off-the-shelf products, or other tangible items with set specifications that are usually available from many sources. Most product resale fits into this category.
Quote requests usually provide a set of specifications that the product must meet and details on how pricing data should be supplied. There are subtle differences between a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and a Request for a Proposal (RFP). Responding to an RFP usually requires supplying information in addition to the price. The evaluation of an RFQ focuses on the price, and the lowest price that meets the specifications usually wins. RFP are usually used for more complicated purchases and the evaluation may be based on the overall value of what you are proposing, taking into consideration reliability, risk, and other factors.
When responding to an RFQ, if the customer has already decided to make a purchase, has budget approval, and knows exactly what they want, they will probably be less interested in salesmanship or packaging, and more interested in the price. If they haven’t decided to make the purchase, they may be requesting the quote to see if it fits within their budget and you may need to persuade them to make the purchase as well as to select you as the vendor. In the letter or narrative text you supply with the quote, you should show that:
You have the capability to deliver as promised You have the flexibility be responsive if requirements change You have experience fulfilling similar needs You have a history of delivering on-time and within budget Even though an RFQ response is usually a cost shoot-out, it can still be a good idea to demonstrate value. If you exceed the specifications or requirements or can deliver faster then they require, demonstrate how that will benefit them. It works best if you can quantify the value by showing that it will ultimately save them more then any difference in cost. Providing a better overall value and demonstrating how they will benefit will not only help to differentiate you from any competition, but may even help you to win, even if your price is higher.
You should keep in the back of your mind that there are other reasons for a customer to issue an RFQ. Occasionally an RFQ will be issued to discover pricing, without any intent to actually make a purchase. Sometimes they are even used to justify using a preferred vendor. It helps to have a relationship with the customer so that you can understand the motivations behind the RFQ. It also will help you to link your response to what they are really trying to accomplish.
Quote requests usually provide a set of specifications that the product must meet and details on how pricing data should be supplied. There are subtle differences between a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and a Request for a Proposal (RFP). Responding to an RFP usually requires supplying information in addition to the price. The evaluation of an RFQ focuses on the price, and the lowest price that meets the specifications usually wins. RFP are usually used for more complicated purchases and the evaluation may be based on the overall value of what you are proposing, taking into consideration reliability, risk, and other factors.
When responding to an RFQ, if the customer has already decided to make a purchase, has budget approval, and knows exactly what they want, they will probably be less interested in salesmanship or packaging, and more interested in the price. If they haven’t decided to make the purchase, they may be requesting the quote to see if it fits within their budget and you may need to persuade them to make the purchase as well as to select you as the vendor. In the letter or narrative text you supply with the quote, you should show that:
You have the capability to deliver as promised You have the flexibility be responsive if requirements change You have experience fulfilling similar needs You have a history of delivering on-time and within budget Even though an RFQ response is usually a cost shoot-out, it can still be a good idea to demonstrate value. If you exceed the specifications or requirements or can deliver faster then they require, demonstrate how that will benefit them. It works best if you can quantify the value by showing that it will ultimately save them more then any difference in cost. Providing a better overall value and demonstrating how they will benefit will not only help to differentiate you from any competition, but may even help you to win, even if your price is higher.
You should keep in the back of your mind that there are other reasons for a customer to issue an RFQ. Occasionally an RFQ will be issued to discover pricing, without any intent to actually make a purchase. Sometimes they are even used to justify using a preferred vendor. It helps to have a relationship with the customer so that you can understand the motivations behind the RFQ. It also will help you to link your response to what they are really trying to accomplish.
Advice for Customers Before They Write an RFP Writing an RFP is difficult. It can be made a lot easier if you do some preparing first. Preparing will not only make it easier, but it will help make sure that you actually get what you want out of the procurement process.
Understand your requirements as well as those of the other stakeholders. You know what you want. But do you know what the other stakeholders want (this may be completely different from what you think they need). With multiple stakeholders, it is entirely possible for the requirements to conflict.
Be able to articulate your requirements. Describing what you want in writing is probably the easiest part of writing an RFP. And yet it is deceptively difficult. It's one thing if you are purchasing a commodity that can be ordered simply by giving a make and model number. However, if you are trying to purchase something more complicated, like a system or a solution that must be engineered, it is a lot more difficult. Some things can be written down as a set of specifications, either technical or functional. And some services can be quantified. However, some things are difficult to quantify and that makes it difficult to describe. Your goal should be to be able to articulate what you want in sufficient detail so that an anonymous reader will be able to provide it. It doesn't matter whether you use formal language, specifications, numbers, bullets, diagrams, or narrative prose. If you can't specify what you want performed or delivered, try specifying what you want the outcome to be. What matters is whether the potential suppliers will be able to provide what you need based on what you have written. It may take some research and more than one attempt to get this right. Know what is feasible. Is what you want possible? Is it practical? It doesn't make any sense to issue an RFP that is really a wish-list for something that can't be done, or can't be done within reason. Usually a buyer's goal is to maximize the Return on Investment, which means hitting the sweet spot between innovation and low cost. When you are purchasing something you are highly familiar with, it is easy to know whether what you are asking for makes sense. The problem comes when you are outsourcing because you don't have the expertise in-house and you don't really know what the best approach is. Understand the trade-offs involved. It is often said that you can have speed, low cost, or high quality --- pick any two. When you are preparing your wish list, make sure you don't ask for more than your supplier can deliver. If there are trade-offs involved, you want to be the one that makes them. If you don't explicitly specify how you want trade-offs made, then the vendor will fill the void by making a selection that may or may not reflect your preferences. Know your limits. Do you have a limited budget? Or a deadline? Or limited facility space? Or bandwidth? Or staffing? Or are there any other limits that could impact what the supplier needs to do to meet your needs? Are there things you definitely want included, or things that you definitely want excluded? Achieving Consensus. There are usually many opinions in a company regarding what it needs or wants. Creating an RFP that gives everyone what they want may not be possible. Giving everyone a chance to write everything they want into the RFP will send mixed messages to the vendor, create confusion regarding what you really want, and make your costs explode. In order to achieve consensus regarding your RFP, try focusing on the goals. It is easier to find common ground regarding the goals you want to achieve. And goals are more important than features. It is more important to fulfill your organization's goals than it is to obtain any particular feature or specification. Most of the arguing takes place around how to fulfill the goals. Try to structure the RFP around your goals instead of the features.
One good technique to use is "divide and conquer." Identify where you can achieve consensus and where you can't. Try to focus on the areas where you can all speak with one voice. You should also remember that an RFP is about more than just the specifications. It is also about providing instructions to the vendors and describing your priorities in terms of evaluation criteria. You may be able to achieve consensus by adjusting your priorities (RFP evaluation criteria) instead of the specification. Speak with one voice to your vendors. RFPs written by committee often make it difficult to understand what the customer really wants. Or worse, different sections of the RFP contradict each other. This confusion will result in your vendor having difficulty supplying what you actually want and will likely result in higher costs as they pad their pricing to reflect their lack of understanding.
Understand your requirements as well as those of the other stakeholders. You know what you want. But do you know what the other stakeholders want (this may be completely different from what you think they need). With multiple stakeholders, it is entirely possible for the requirements to conflict.
Be able to articulate your requirements. Describing what you want in writing is probably the easiest part of writing an RFP. And yet it is deceptively difficult. It's one thing if you are purchasing a commodity that can be ordered simply by giving a make and model number. However, if you are trying to purchase something more complicated, like a system or a solution that must be engineered, it is a lot more difficult. Some things can be written down as a set of specifications, either technical or functional. And some services can be quantified. However, some things are difficult to quantify and that makes it difficult to describe. Your goal should be to be able to articulate what you want in sufficient detail so that an anonymous reader will be able to provide it. It doesn't matter whether you use formal language, specifications, numbers, bullets, diagrams, or narrative prose. If you can't specify what you want performed or delivered, try specifying what you want the outcome to be. What matters is whether the potential suppliers will be able to provide what you need based on what you have written. It may take some research and more than one attempt to get this right. Know what is feasible. Is what you want possible? Is it practical? It doesn't make any sense to issue an RFP that is really a wish-list for something that can't be done, or can't be done within reason. Usually a buyer's goal is to maximize the Return on Investment, which means hitting the sweet spot between innovation and low cost. When you are purchasing something you are highly familiar with, it is easy to know whether what you are asking for makes sense. The problem comes when you are outsourcing because you don't have the expertise in-house and you don't really know what the best approach is. Understand the trade-offs involved. It is often said that you can have speed, low cost, or high quality --- pick any two. When you are preparing your wish list, make sure you don't ask for more than your supplier can deliver. If there are trade-offs involved, you want to be the one that makes them. If you don't explicitly specify how you want trade-offs made, then the vendor will fill the void by making a selection that may or may not reflect your preferences. Know your limits. Do you have a limited budget? Or a deadline? Or limited facility space? Or bandwidth? Or staffing? Or are there any other limits that could impact what the supplier needs to do to meet your needs? Are there things you definitely want included, or things that you definitely want excluded? Achieving Consensus. There are usually many opinions in a company regarding what it needs or wants. Creating an RFP that gives everyone what they want may not be possible. Giving everyone a chance to write everything they want into the RFP will send mixed messages to the vendor, create confusion regarding what you really want, and make your costs explode. In order to achieve consensus regarding your RFP, try focusing on the goals. It is easier to find common ground regarding the goals you want to achieve. And goals are more important than features. It is more important to fulfill your organization's goals than it is to obtain any particular feature or specification. Most of the arguing takes place around how to fulfill the goals. Try to structure the RFP around your goals instead of the features.
One good technique to use is "divide and conquer." Identify where you can achieve consensus and where you can't. Try to focus on the areas where you can all speak with one voice. You should also remember that an RFP is about more than just the specifications. It is also about providing instructions to the vendors and describing your priorities in terms of evaluation criteria. You may be able to achieve consensus by adjusting your priorities (RFP evaluation criteria) instead of the specification. Speak with one voice to your vendors. RFPs written by committee often make it difficult to understand what the customer really wants. Or worse, different sections of the RFP contradict each other. This confusion will result in your vendor having difficulty supplying what you actually want and will likely result in higher costs as they pad their pricing to reflect their lack of understanding.