RFPs are prevalent in both the corporate and
nonprofit world. When companies need help with a project, they will often write
up and send RFPs to receive a variety of proposals and bids.
Winning the project can be very competitive, so
responding to an RFP request can be a bit daunting, especially if you've never
written a response to such a request before.
Here are seven tips to help you do that.
1.
Research
Before you start writing projects, it's always
essential to understand your audience. It is no different here.
For an effective RFP
response, you must understand the organization's requirements that issued
the request for proposals. So you need to research both the company and its
industry. In-depth research will also give you a better perspective on the
scope of the project.
2.
Be specific
Put yourself in the shoes of the company that wrote
the RFP - its employees must read hundreds of pages of proposals before making
a decision.
They will appreciate it if you are precise and to
the point.
3.
Keep it simple
Use clear and simple language. Do not add jargon or
unnecessary buzzwords as this will make your proposal more difficult to read.
We understand that this may vary slightly by
industry. So, when using jargon, ensure that there are just things that people
who read your proposal will understand.
If you are unsure, stick to plain, clear words -
this will make your proposal much easier to read and understand.
4.
Explain how you are different
Why should they select you over everyone else? You
must address this query in your proposal.
It's usually best to differentiate between something
other than price because you don't even know if your bid is the lowest anyway.
Pick something in terms of quality and service that will help you differentiate
your organization from the other bidders.
Just choosing something isn't enough, though - you
have to make it clear and compelling. You can do this by adding data, examples,
and anything else that supports your claim.
Stick
to the format
Most request for proposals have a described format.
So, follow that as closely as possible. Now is not the time to get creative and
spin it as you desire.
If the RFP does not include a format for the
response, choose something simple and professional.
You don't want the format to interfere with the
overall message of your proposal. It should reinforce the content, not hinder
it.
6. Start as soon as possible
Write the proposal as soon as possible. This gives
you enough time to research and edit before the deadline.
Waiting until the last minute usually results in a
weak proposal. It also makes the whole process more stressful than it should
be.
7.
Reread the proposal
Nothing can kill an RFP response faster than botched
mistakes like misspelling the company name. It's not a good idea to ignore this
step.
A first draft almost always contains errors - and
that's fine, but you should correct them before submitting your proposal.
Ideally, the person reading the proposal is not the
same person who wrote it. It is too easy to ignore your own errors during the
editing phase. This could be another skilled person in your company or an
experienced professional proofreader - the latter is always the best.
At The
Bid Lab, we have years of experience looking at proposals and RFPs, and we
understand the entire process well. If you are working on an RFP response and
need a quick and professional proofreading before submitting it, we are happy
to help. Contact us now for a quick and free quote!