Write your own RFP!

8 Steps to a successful RFP process Execution

Someone has asked you to conduct an RFP or you are involved in a project where it is a natural consequence of the chosen strategy but now that you stand in front of it, you feel like Moses standing at the Red Sea?

This one-pager will give you some insight to the steps necessary to ensure success:

This is however only a brief description of the process. In our document 6 Steps to writing a successful RFP we explain the RFP writing process in greater detail. Take a bit of time to read through and think about why you are developing and RFP and what the desired business outcome is.

Are you writing and RFP because your company wants to implement new technology? If this is the case, then the technology is probably not the main objective, so focus on what the technology has to achieve.

A client we consulted wanted to implement Voice over IP. The reasoning was that more than 50% of their telephone costs was caused by calls from the HQ to the production site in Asia and South America. They expected to be able to achieve a cost reduction of more than 40% by routing the calls over the internet. Obviously one does not need a new telephone system to achieve that but the stakeholder interviews brought out a number of issues that the new technology would also have to address. The issues included improvements in customer care, the fact that the old telephone system had reach the end of the maintenance contract and a new contract would be expensive and the fact that a more flexible working model with "work-from-home" was required but not supported by the existing system.

These business issues are the foundation on which the RFP is built. If they are not clear and understood, the RFP process will bring little value - it goes a bit along the lines of the old saying "If you do not know where you are heading, you will never arrive" and we often add "but will continue to sail around in circles".

Need help?

We can help you to go through the RFP process. In most cases we do not do the work for you - though we can of course do that. We work with your team and help them go through the process of defining the business case behind the RFP. We support the writing of the RFP and we often take part in the vendor presentations and contract negotiations. You can read more about our services here.