No organization’s RFP process is perfect, but continuing to make the same mistakes over and over isn’t helping anyone – not you, not your internal stakeholders, and not your current or potential suppliers. This presentations talks about 5 common pitfalls that are tripping up your process and offers simple, actionable solutions to get you back on track. Learn:
- Why effective communication is critical to avoid misunderstandings and rogue actions
- How something as simple as version control can affect the perception of the RFP team
- When and why to use old school checklists to keep people on track
- How to maintain institutional knowledge across categories
2. • Housekeeping / Introductions
• 5 RFP Process Pitfalls + Solutions
• Q & A
AGENDA
3. SPEAKER
Phil Bode
VP of Training, 4 Degrees North
Phil is a business executive with 30+ years of experience in
procurement processes, contract management, negotiations,
and vendor management.
He is a contributor to the book Art of Creating a Quality RFP.
4. Not determining (adequately) who
needs to be included may lead to:
• Second guessing
• People doing their own deal(s)
• A loss of valuable contributions
• Only a partial solution being obtained
PITFALL #1
5. Instead:
• Determine who will be impacted
• Determine their involvement
▪ R = Who will be responsible for what
▪ A = Who will be accountable for what
▪ C = Who will be consulted about what
▪ I = Who will be informed about what
PITFALL #1
Don’t forget the
sponsors,
stakeholders,
and executives!
6. Not having an effective
communication tool leads to:
• Misperceptions
• Misunderstandings
• Rogue behavior
• Feelings of isolation
PITFALL #2
7. Instead:
• Use an enhanced project charter or project
plan to communicate with the RACI team
▪ Issue initially in writing with signatures
▪ Issue periodic formal updates in writing
▪ Issue periodic informal updates via email
PITFALL #2
8. Not implementing and maintaining version
control can lead to:
• Confusion about which version is the current one
• Issuing the “wrong” RFP to the supplier community
• Inaccurate proposals being submitted by suppliers
• A loss of faith in the RFP Team by management
PITFALL #3
V1
V1.2
V1.2.6
V3
V5.02
??
9. Instead:
• Determine who (i.e., one person) is in charge of the RFP
• Ensure that the “technology” lends itself to version control
• Include version-control wording in the RFP itself
• Make “revision control” a part of the process and checklist
PITFALL #3
10. Not leveraging the roles and responsibilities
of the team can lead to:
PITFALL #4
• Inefficiencies
• A lack of direction
• Too many suppliers being
included in the process
• Too many people “talking”
with the suppliers
11. Instead:
• Create flexible processes and follow them
• Educate people on the RFP process
• Develop and use checklists religiously
• Leverage the power of communication and
RACI
PITFALL #4
12. Failure to maintain institutional
knowledge can lead to:
• Creating bad RFPs
• Doing bad deals
• Hiring expensive consultants
• Increasing your stress and anxiety
PITFALL #5
13. Instead:
• Utilize an RFP repository
• Conduct post-mortems
• Cross-educate team members
• Leverage MI to bridge the gap
or accelerate learning
PITFALL #5
