Responding to RFPs (Request for Proposals)

We just wrapped helping a client respond to a 7-figure RFP. I've participated in a few dozen of these, some we've won, some we've lost. A few beliefs on how to do them well: - Get the boring stuff out of the way early. RFPs typically include a bunch of check-the-box items. You might (understandably) believe that stuff doesn't matter as much as the meat of the proposal. But procurement wants (among other things) folks who pay attention. - Take discovery seriously. You often have opportunities to talk with stakeholders. Some folks think they should be paid for discovery. And you likely will need to do more if you win. But they're giving you incredibly valuable information. Don't waste that opportunity. - Show you listen. One of my favorite things this client did was include verbatims from key stakeholder interviews. The message was unambiguous: "we hear you." - Don't just tell them what they want to hear. If you believe a different approach is the right answer, tell them. You're being hired to be a trusted advisor, not a yes person. Some folks try to win first, then coach them to your way of seeing things. But a) it's duplicitous, and b) it might not work. And then you're stuck with doing work you don't believe in. - One more reason: often the RFP was "co-created" by a vendor who's already inside. Which means they helped shape it. Which means they're ideally positioned to win it. If you just tell them what they want to hear, you'll look just like the other vendor, except not as good. - This doesn't mean be contrarian for its own sake. They've done a ton of work to get here. It's probably largely accurate. But if you disagree with part of it, say so. - Don't skip account/project management. I lost multiple RFPs not because our approach wasn't sound, but because we glossed over how the project would unfold. It matters, as much (more so?) than the work product itself. It gives the client confidence you've been there before. That it won't go off the rails. - Don't talk about yourself much. Talk about them and their solution. You can include an appendix with your intro deck material (sidebar: you have a tight 6-12 slide intro deck, right?), case studies, key team member bios, etc. Helpful especially for the people who don't know you already. But they care much more about their problems than your accolades. - The scariest question is "have you done this before for clients like us?" Be honest, not apologetic. Speak to the closest proxy. Highlight how your rigorous discovery process helps mitigate this. Emphasize successful first-time executions. Turn it into a strength (we often bring fresh ideas others miss.) - Don't worry about being the cheapest. But do try to be in ballpark. Some firms lowball to win the work then make up for it in change orders. Don't be that firm. - Become that firm that helps shape the RFP. Build relationships before you need them. Do small (or free) projects to become an approved vendor. Get in the door if you can.

Having conducted numerous RFPs throughout my career, and responded to many while working at agencies, I’ve gained a comprehensive understanding of the process. Here are some best practices from both perspectives: From the Client Side: ✅ Be clear with your objectives. ✅ Create a standard “scorecard” so you have objective data to lean on during decision-making. ✅ Ask the same questions of every agency. ❌ Don’t ask for spec work. ✅ Agencies: ask clarifying questions. (Hint: asking questions is a sign of interest. And yes—we are taking note of the types of questions you ask!) From the Agency Side: ✅ Answer all the questions in the RFP. ✅ Have the actual client team present during the pitch—don’t pull a bait and switch. ✅ Follow up. Always. ➡️ Your turn: What would you add to this list—from either POV? Let’s Grow! 🌱

What the RFP says versus what evaluators really want to know… 👇 RFPs are rarely as straightforward as they seem. Le sigh! Behind every bulleted list of requirements is a client with specific goals, pain points, and expectations—and it’s your job to read between the lines. We have helped AEC and CRE firms win more work by not just “answering” the RFP, but by “understanding” it. Here’s how I coach clients to break down critical messages from the RFP language: ✅ When the RFP asks for “project experience,” what they really want is proof that you’ve solved similar problems for similar clients. Give them the back-up to select your firm and make their life easier. ✅ When they ask for “key personnel,” they want to know your team is credible and invested in the success of the project. Prove that your team has what it takes. ✅ When they ask for a “work plan,” they’re looking for clarity, efficiency, and the ability to mitigate risk. Demonstrate you can manage their timeline and lead the charge, both on and offsite. ✅ And when they ask for “why your firm,” they’re giving you an open door to tell a persuasive, benefit-driven story about why you are the right fit. Strong proposal responses go above and beyond responding, they interpret their client’s needs and address them directly. #AECMarketing #ProposalManagement #ProposalStrategy #RFP #AECIndustry

Proposals should be organized according to the agency’s instructions in the RFP. In a prior post, I discussed how an offeror’s choice to organize its proposal under section headings corresponding to the RFP’s requirements could result in the agency overlooking relevant information contained in other sections. GAO’s recent denial of Crittenton Consulting’s protest highlights a different risk—where the agency provides detailed proposal preparation instructions that specify the contents and page limits of various sections, it will not consider materials outside of these sections. In Crittenton’s protest, it challenged several weaknesses and deficiencies assigned to its proposal by pointing to other sections of the RFP containing relevant information. But in this case, because the RFP contained detailed directions about the manner in which proposals were to be prepared, including what information was to be contained in each section and page limits, GAO found that the agency was not required to hunt for the relevant information in other proposal sections and its evaluation was reasonable. These rules may seem confusing, but the basic rule is that an offeror bears the burden to submit an adequately-written and clear proposal. If the agency directs how proposals should be prepared, offerors should be careful and attentive to those requirements. If the agency permits leeway as to the presentation of information, offerors should ensure that they address all requirements and provide an easy way for the agency to identify where all information corresponding to the requirements may be found. Negative evaluation findings can be very frustrating where the offeror knows that information addressing the findings is in the proposal. The key is to draft the proposal very clearly in accordance with the agency’s instructions, and to avoid assuming that the agency will “connect the dots” across proposal sections itself.  #governmentcontracting #govcon #bidprotests #smallbusiness #NVTC

Making life easier for the buyer can be your biggest advantage in an RFP. Here's a simple but effective approach: ✨ Simplicity is Key ✨ Ever been lost in a maze of appendices and scattered documents? Don't put your buyers through that. Design your response to be a self-contained, easy-to-navigate document. If the RFP is issued through a software platform, take advantage of the platform's features to keep specific attachments with specific answers, put images inline with text, etc. Everything the buyer needs should be right there, clear and accessible. 📈 Direct and to the Point 📈 Time is precious. Get to the core of what they want to know. Clear headings, concise answers, and bullet points can make a world of difference. Your goal? Answer their questions before they even have to ask. 🔍 Avoid Attachment Overload 🔍 If you must use appendices and attachments, reference them clearly in your main text. Better yet, summarize the key points within the body of your response! Think of supplemental materials as a last resort, not your go-to. 💡 Anticipate Their Needs 💡 Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. What would you want to know? How would you want the information presented? Answering these questions can help you craft a response that resonates. 📖 Tell a Story 📖 To the extent possible, your RFP response should flow like a good story. Each section leading logically to the next, making it a smooth read. This narrative approach not only keeps the reader engaged but also makes your response more memorable. Sometimes the RFP structure makes this difficult. But the RFP will at least be organized by topic, and they way buyers select and order those topics tells you something about how they think about the purchase. Use that information to build a series of short stories if that's the best you can do in the circumstances. -------- Remember, by making your RFP response easy to understand, you're not just easing the buyer's workload; you're also showcasing your ability to communicate effectively. It's these little things that can set you apart in a sea of competitors. #RFP #sales #ProposalWriting

Most sellers treat RFPs like a necessary evil: • answer their questions • submit your response • hope for the best That's exactly why most sellers lose. In my last 4 years as a strategic seller, I captured $12.9M TCV from RFPs. The key was delivering a magical buying experience and doing the opposite of what everyone else does. THE AIRLINE STORY: We were in the final 3 for a major airline digital experience upgrade opportunity. 30+ executives in the room. 4-hour pitch. Everything on the line. Instead of jumping straight into our product demo, I opened with something completely unexpected... A "we love you" video showing our executives flying on their airline, our CEO talking about being their loyal customer, and connecting our core values to theirs. The room lit up. We won the 3-year, multi-million dollar deal. Two years later, their executive said at our Sales Kickoff: "We chose you because of how much love we felt during the process." Here's what I learned: Your product isn't that much better than the competition. But the buying experience you design can be completely different. The mistake most sellers make? They lead with features when they should lead with emotion. They answer questions when they should be creating narratives. They try to be "better" when they should focus on being "different." THE WINNING FRAMEWORK: I developed a simple 3-step process that transforms RFPs from soul-crushing exercises into deal-winning experiences (especially helpful if you're a late entrant). It's built around understanding how executive brains actually make decisions (hint: it's not the way you think). Want the full breakdown? I published the complete framework in The Purposeful Performer, including: → Why most sellers fail at the "croc brain" test → The exact narrative structure that wins in final rounds → How to use the E.L.E. framework during presentations → Creative tactics that separate you from commodity vendors Read the free guide here: https://lnkd.in/eYiFSbNj RFPs aren't about answering questions. They're an opportunity to design experiences that make the decision obvious. 🐝

I've recently completed an RFP process for a client to select a new tech solution. Without giving anything away about the content, quite a few bits surprised me... Here are some top tips! - Spelling and grammar still matter Even though this was about evaluating a tech, attention to detail makes an impression and typos (one even their own company name!) and formatting issues detract from the tech capabilities being assessed. - RTFQ (sorry not sorry) If it says 'describe' or 'list', guess what, they're asking you to describe and list! 'Yes we can do that' doesn't cut it. Describe what your tech does per the question and list out (especially where it comes to reporting capabilities). - Don't just say "See Above" or refer to question 402 Each question should stand on its own because not only does referring to earlier answers makes the reviewer’s job harder, it's a problem when scoring is done by multiple people or in a matrix format or indeed by AI. You'll get "nul points"! It's easier to restate the point even if it feels repetitive. And don't miss questions out - that's points lost. And because points make prizes, it's vital to position the RFP and answers to get max points. A lesser solution might win because they answered better... - I love a treasure hunt, just not in RFPs... Adding links to documents or websites may seem helpful, but it really isn't. It becomes TL:DR. A summary of the capabilities and add links as back up but summarise the relevant point directly in your answer. - Examples Answer the actual question and provide examples. That goes a long way to bring your capability to life and means you’ve understood the business context. Final Thought An RFP is not just a technical exercise. It's the impression you leave about how your organisation communicates and cares, understands its product, the market it's serving and a reflection on how you will ultimately support the client. Dare I ask... what’s the best (or worst!) RFP response you've seen? #InsurTech #RFP #InsuranceTechnology #VendorManagement #Procurement #LondonMarket #Advice