How do you respond to RFPs?

So, as we work through each RFP response section, remember these guidelines:

1. Stay focused on the customer’s problem and the solution you deliver.
2. Keep it short and fluff free ⁠— for the customer, the RFP isn’t an invitation for you to give a sales pitch, it’s a fact-finding mission.

What are some questions that should be asked in an RFP?

Questions to Ask Before Starting the RFP Process

• What is the problem?
• What are your goals for the project, and do they align with the goals of your company?
• What are your requirements?
• What is the scope of the project?
• Does the new solution integrate with existing systems?
• What is your budget?
• What is your timeline?

What makes a good RFP response?

A good response will typically have the following sections: (i) information about your company; (ii) what makes you better than competitors; (iii) your specific thoughts on the RFP project, and how you are uniquely qualified to succeed; (iv) answers to any of the customer’s specific questions; (v) your pricing section; …

How do I submit a question to an RFP?

6 best practices for asking the right RFP questions

1. Start with your RFP goals.
2. Write focused RFP questions.
3. Keep RFP questions concise.
4. Ask one RFP question at a time.
5. Make sure RFP questions circle back to your goals.
6. Weight and score your RFP questions.

How do you write an RFI response?

5 Tips for Responding to RFIs (part 1 of 2)

1. Tip #1: Have a formal process to determine whether or not to respond to the RFI.
2. Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
3. Tip #3: Demonstrate thought leadership.
4. Tip #4: Consider saving some recommendations for your RFP response.
5. Tip #5: Avoid too much cut-and-pasting.

How long should RFP responses be?

It should not be too long (the rule of thumb is 5-10% of the length of the proposal) and it should be persuasive, not too general but not getting into specific details either.”

What should I ask my RFI?

RFI questions to ask vendors

• General Information. Provide general information about your company:
• Experience and Credibility. Tell about your experience with projects that are similar to the project we need.
• Project Management.
• Technical Skills.
• Quality Control.
• Resource Management.
• Company’s Infrastructure.
• Data Security.

What is an RFI response?

A Request for Information (RFI) is a document an organization sends to a potential vendor. An RFI is an exploratory step that happens in the early stages of the procurement process. If the vendor addresses their needs in the RFI response, the organization moves forward by issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP).

What does it mean to respond to a RFP?

You’ve probably responded to plenty of RFPs. But, do you know why it matters so much? A response to an RFP (request for proposal) is an answer a vendor provides to a question which has been issued by a prospect. The issuer evaluates the set of RFP responses to decide if the vendor is the right partner for their organization.

How to respond to an RFP like an all star Champ?

Even if you have the best product or service on the market, you still have to demonstrate value during the RFP response process. All RFP responses are not created equal. Rather than recycling boilerplate content, each response should be tailored to the prospect you want to win over.

How many RFP responses has Carla Dawes been involved in?

Communications Consultant Carla Dawes has been involved in more than 30 RFP responses over the past 13 years and she says:

Do you need RFP software for win-loss review?

It helps to have RFP software for a win-loss review because you have everything that went into the response—the planning, communication, content, and the actual response—in one place. Speaking of RFP software…it’s the single most effective way to overcome lack of experience.

Do you ask questions when responding to a RFP?

My response: Don’t be shy about asking! If the client is serious about the RFP process, they should welcome your questions. In fact, the more questions you ask, the more focused and relevant your response–saving the client time and resulting in a more compelling presentation.

What should be included in a standard RFP?

A standard RFP lists what the client is looking for from a service provider (let’s say, a marketing agency), including the criteria on which the RFP response and the marketing proposal will be evaluated. Basically, an RFP provides an outline of a potential client’s specific needs and challenges.

What makes Bloomfire a good RFP response tool?

Why we like it: The question-and-answer style format of Bloomfire is what makes it a good fit as an RFP response tool. Within the platform you can integrate with other apps or upload Word documents, PDFs, audio files and slide decks. Then the system indexes all of the words that appear.

What’s the problem with responding to a request for proposals?

The trouble with Requests for Proposals (RFPs) is that there are usually many other firms replying. This competition makes it crucial to differentiate yourself and demonstrate clearly that you can meet the client’s needs. You can’t do this successfully without certain information and some of this information is often missing from the original RFP.