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Once you read this, you’ll know how to write an RFP response.
During the RFP process, there’s quite a lot to think about. Knowing how to write an RFP response is even harder. But through this guide, you’ll understand what to do, and what not to do to produce a good RFP bid. The quality of an RFP bid influences the likelihood of success. If you know how to write a good one, you’ll invite confidence in your abilities!
Before we get started on learning how to write an RFP bid it’s important to understand the different requests.
As some may know, an RFP is probably the most common type of solicitation out there. RFPs are released by federal, municipal, state, and local governments looking to procure goods and services. There are government RFP solicitations for every industry, including logistics, healthcare, and construction.
With an RFP, a contracting authority is looking for high-quality responses to their questions. Typically, you’ll be expected to demonstrate your experience in your RFP response, using engaging language and relevant examples.
Remember that most RFP responses will require you to include a cover letter. This is your chance to set up expectations and entice the reader to continue reading. Your cover letter is essentially a summary of what you will offer the buyer if they hire you. It should also state why you think they will benefit from hiring you/your team.
Businesses of all sizes can submit an RFP response. However, they’re particularly attractive for small businesses.
If you’re a small business and wish to bid for a contract, you must meet certain size criteria. These requirements are set by the Small Business Association (SBA). These standards define the maximum size of a business hoping to qualify as a small business. This includes:
While not as common, another form of solicitation that you might encounter during the bidding process is an IFB.
With an IFB, the buyer knows exactly how they want the contract to be delivered. This means that vendors are unable to negotiate. In most cases, the buyer awards the contract to the lowest-priced bidder that meets the necessary requirements.
If the buyer issues an RFQ, this requires a much simpler bidding process. This is because RFQs are focused primarily on pricing rather than quality and experience. Therefore, your pricing should be competitive.
It’s important to know that there’s more contracts than the ones listed above, and you can learn about them here. Now, let’s move forward on learning how to write an RFP response.
This is a must really, as, without a solid draft, you’ll be less attuned to the commission’s needs. A numbered list is a great way of outlining the capabilities of your company. Consider the basics of the proposal. Can you realistically meet the deadlines? Do you fully grasp the format, styling and template that’s required? If you miss these, it’ll be an easy decision for the commission to pass you over for competition. Breaking the document down will help you generate the best response. If you’re really struggling with how to write an RFP response, it’s a good exercise to start here.
What are your values, aka your defining features which set you apart from your competitors? The Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) boils down values into “a feature, a benefit and a corresponding proof point”. How does your company provide an advantage for working with you? What’s the difference between working with you and your competition? It’s wise to choose two features, and work on giving them more validity. This is preferable to spreading yourself thin with multiple features. Under questioning, your features should stand firm and convince the buyer of your suitability. The best thing about doing this is what when you’re writing your next bid, you’ll have your values ready to hand.
If this was reversed and you were the RFP provider, what kind of response would you expect from your vendors? If your bid has the same level of jargon, it’ll make sure that you look the part as a candidate.
It’s imperative to know what the timeline is for the project, and:
These timelines will provide you with adequate time to organize and prove yourself. Align your response with how much work they expect from you. If they’re expecting a large amount of work, make sure you’re giving a good level of criteria in response.
It can’t be said enough times that your RFP bid needs to be perfect grammatically. If the contract provider notices your response has flaws grammatically, they may lose faith in your ability. So, it’s critical to check it over and get multiple eyes to look over the document. This could mean sending it to fellow workers in the company. Ultimately, the more time you spend ensuring it’s the best RFP response grammatically, the more professional you’ll look.
Here are some tips to pique the interest of the buyer.
Bullet points, numbering, subheadings… Anyway you can list or dissect the information into readable chunks, do it. The easier it is for the buyer to digest what you’re saying the better.
You’d be surprised how many RFP Bid Writers go straight ahead while not having prior knowledge around a service. Make sure you’re clued in on what you’re writing about, as the buyer will soon know. They’ll be working on multiple vendors…if your bid doesn’t align with their jargon, your credibility might be brought into question. Your RFP bid is the product of your company’s achievements. If you can’t convey that, your likelihood of winning the RFP will be lower.
If you’ve ever wondered how to write a fantastic RFP bid, we’re your people.
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 involves. 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:
Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:
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