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Crafting the perfect RFP response without mistakes can be difficult, particularly when you are striking the balance between being detailed and concise in your answers. With mistakes that are easy to make when writing your RFP response, it can be hard to know how to avoid them.
Today, we will be breaking down the top 10 mistakes we believe are the most detrimental to make when writing your RFP response. Avoid these and you are well on your way to producing a successful bid!
A request for proposal (RFP) is a vital business document. The RFP details what the buyer is looking for and describes its criterion for evaluation on which a vendor (supplier) or contractor’s proposal will be assessed. Most organizations and governments will launch their projects using RFPs. Usually, they are reserved for more complex, specialized projects. Organizational policies will instruct you on when they are needed.
However, despite its widespread use and importance, creating an RFP response can be quite a long and confusing process. Therefore, to simplify and clarify matters, we have also created an easy-to-follow guide so that you will become an expert on everything RFP!
The following mistakes made are not in order of importance, as it is vital to address them all as contributing factors to a failed RFP response. Get to know each one so you never make a mistake in your RFP response!
This mistake is the first hurdle in the RFP response process. The information provided by the buyer in the RFP is there to assist you in your response as much as possible. Therefore, it is crucial that you read through the RFP in its entirety more than once. We recommend reading over the RFP multiple times, as you may miss vital pieces of information if you only scan through the RFP once or twice.
Top tip: You can outsource this process to an RFP writer, who will be meticulous in extracting important information and crafting an impressive response.
Not addressing all of the buyer’s requirements not only gives the buyer the impression that you have not read the RFP fully but also makes you appear disorganised. Compared to your competitors who have provided solutions to all of the stated requirements, your bid is extremely unlikely to be chosen. Therefore, we recommend reading through the RFP thoroughly to ensure you pick up on all of the requirements stated and construct a plan of how and why your business can meet these requirements.
Top tip: We can provide you with an external guide and review of your RFP response as part of our mentor service — helping you to avoid mistakes and improving the final response.
Similar to making the mistake of providing too much information in your RFP response, it can be equally detrimental to not provide enough detail. However, this is a skill which requires practice when it comes to striking the balance between being concise and detailed enough. The buyer does not want to be overwhelmed with information (some of which may not be relevant), nor do they want to be underwhelmed with responses that are short and lacking in evidence. This will mean that you are not meeting the buyer’s requirements!
As mentioned above, providing detail in your responses also includes the case studies and extra evidence you may be asked to provide in the RFP. The buyer needs to be convinced that your company is not only suitable for the role, but that you also have relevant experience in the role specified. You may be asked to provide multiple case studies as part of the evidence of experience aspect of the RFP, so be prepared to offer this information.
Top tip: Need evidence but you’re not sure where to start? We can craft company resumes, case studies, PDF proposals and more as part of our proposal-ready service.
This is arguably a broad mistake to make, however, it is one of the most important, as it encompasses many mistakes already mentioned. Not understanding the buyer’s needs will void the entire RFP response. When reading and analysing the RFP, you must ensure that you understand the buyer’s needs and that you can accurately meet them. Don’t waste the buyer’s time by submitting a bid that lacks detail and evidence, and is ultimately inaccurate for the service they require.
Veering off budget or not declaring accurate deliverables, within a favourable deadline is a sure way to fail your bid. Stipulating to the buyer what you promise to deliver if you win the bid is the meat of the proposal and arguably what the buyer will be drawn to first. They want to know what they will get out of the agreement after all!
So, be consistent, accurate and realistic about what your business can offer!
This is another umbrella term for some mistakes already mentioned. However, it is vital to address this in its own right as it is crucial. Similar to a buyer’s needs, you must also honour and meet the buyer’s expectations. This includes everything from the evidence you choose to provide, to the amount of detail you put into each response, in order to show that you can and will meet their expectations.
If your bid is successful, you will be engaging in a partnership and the buyer needs to know that their expectations for that partnership will be met in their entirety. This means providing reliable evidence and meeting deadlines!
Not following the RFP format is not usually a deliberate mistake, however, it stems from not reading the RFP thoroughly enough. The buyer will provide you with a format that they want you to follow when crafting your RFP response and it is your responsibility as the vendor to stick to it. It is an easy mistake to make, however, the buyer will easily disregard all responses that fail to meet their formatting requirements and all of your hard work will be overlooked by other correctly formatted RFP responses. Take a look at our RFP response template here to see how to format an introduction and get started.
Top tip: Make sure your RFP response is professionally reviewed, to ensure you meet the buyer’s criteria! Also, make sure your bid stands out from your competitors by having it professionally designed!
Every bid plan must include internal deadlines, alongside the final external deadline for submission. Setting deadlines (working backwards from the final deadline) can help keep you accountable and on track during the RFP response process. There are no second chances if you miss the final deadline!
Top tip: Outsourcing the RFP response planning and writing process takes the weight off your shoulders and into the hands of an experienced bid writer. Let us take care of your RFP response for you.
The final hurdle before submission — you definitely don’t want to stumble now, after all of your hard work! This is where you must review your own work several times. Leaving yourself several days before submission which are dedicated to reviewing and proofreading, helps you look at your work with fresh eyes and without stress if you were rushing to meet the deadline.
It’s easy to make grammatical or syntax errors without picking up on them until it comes to reviewing the work. That is why it is crucial to review your work several times or even better, get someone else to take a look and find the mistakes that you can’t see because you have been working on the same project for so long.
Top tip: Take advantage of our review service to rest assured that your RFP response is as clear and effective as it can possibly be before submitting it.
Now that you are familiar with the top 10 mistakes you can make when writing an RFP response, why not take a look at our services below!
Our RFP Writing service is the perfect solution to ensure that you submit a high-quality bid, even when you’re busy. Our writers will break down the solicitation documents, allowing you to see what the bid and the contract involve. This will help to ensure that you have all the specified evidence and meet the requirements of the contracting authority.
Our RFP Writers will then craft persuasive, high-quality responses, attach supporting evidence and even submit the bid on your behalf. Upload the solicitation documents for a free quote.
Have you already written a bid but need a second pair of eyes to review your work? Our RFP Mentor service will do just that. Simply send over your bid responses and the solicitation documents.
Our writers will then assess your work, ensuring that your responses are in line with the specification. They will also check for any spelling or grammar errors. You can then submit your bid with confidence. Upload your work for a free quote.
Do you need help with preparing a bid proposal? Proposal Ready can help businesses that are new to bidding or those in need of rejuvenating their content.
Our Bid Consultants will create:
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Because the information on this blog is based on Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s own opinion and experience, it should not be considered professional financial investment advice. The ideas and bidding strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s thoughts and opinions will also change from time to time as the market changes and as Hudson Outsourcing LLC develops.
