Proposal Land

Foster strong competition, especially on rebids:

• Identify someone independent but knowledgeable to review the statement of work (SOW) for big things that favour the incumbent.
• Make sure that the incumbent supplies any needed information before you issue the RFP. That includes anything they’re required to provide as a deliverable under the current contract (volume data and cost reports especially). Don’t let them hide deliverables behind the “proprietary” wall.

Tasked as Technical Authority on an RFP? Never done it before? Done it before but not entirely happy with how it turned out? This is one of six posts on what contractors hope you do in that position, but are reluctant to tell you to your face.

Foster fair competition. Keep the end user’s senior staff visibly involved in all stages of the procurement strategy:

• How to define the needed services or specify the goods/product
• What contract model to require (firm price vs cost-plus, for example)
• How and when to brief and consult with industry

The absence of these senior folks will ring alarm bells for potential bidders.

Tasked as Technical Authority on an RFP? Never done it before? Done it before but not entirely happy with how it turned out? This is one of six posts on what contractors hope you do in that position, but are reluctant to tell you to your face.

Foster end user buy-in of competition. End users who pay for the required goods and/or services out of their own budget usually value strong competition. If that’s not the budgeting scenario – and it isn’t always – then see if there’s another way for the end user to benefit from a reduction the cost:

• A share of the savings
• A good program evaluation
• Some recognition that they did the right thing for the larger organization

Tasked as Technical Authority on an RFP? Never done it before? Done it before but not entirely happy with how it turned out? This is one of six posts on what contractors hope you do in that position, but are reluctant to tell you to your face.