This document provides guidance on executing a successful RFP (request for proposal) process. It begins by outlining when an RFP is the right tool and when it may not be suitable. When scope is unclear or requirements are not well defined, a project charter can help determine the best path forward. The document emphasizes treating the RFP as a process, not just a document, with clear communication and sufficient time allotted. It also provides tips on prioritizing requirements, evaluating differentiators between vendors, negotiating contracts, and determining when to engage a consultant.
Doug Johnson breaks down the best presales practices to implement right away in a breakout session at the Acumatica Partner Summit 2015 in Long Beach, CA
Insights to Actions of Winning Bids - Infission Bid ConsultingMohit .
Infission Bid Consulting help IT companies win more proposals. Our Bid Experts have shared their knowledge and experience in IT proposals through this online session of Insights to Actions of Winning Bids. For more information, please visit: www.infission.com
Doug Johnson breaks down the best presales practices to implement right away in a breakout session at the Acumatica Partner Summit 2015 in Long Beach, CA
Insights to Actions of Winning Bids - Infission Bid ConsultingMohit .
Infission Bid Consulting help IT companies win more proposals. Our Bid Experts have shared their knowledge and experience in IT proposals through this online session of Insights to Actions of Winning Bids. For more information, please visit: www.infission.com
This presentation was originally made at the 2016 Association of American University Presses Annual Meeting, 17 June 2016. It discusses both why and how to effectively hire consultants. The slides were developed by my colleague Pam Harley who originally was scheduled to give this talk.
What is A Business Proposal?
Unlike a business plan, which is written to run your company and raise capital, a business proposal is an unsolicited or solicited bid for business. There are two types of business proposal that can help you gain more business to grow your company.
Types of proposals
There are mainly three types of proposal:-
1:-Business proposal
2:-Technical proposal
3:-Research proposal
A New Partnering Alliance Approach At Otsukavillahill
This presentation describes a state-of-the-art partnership alliance between Otsuka and Covance. It also describes a staffing forecasting model that will be used in the partnership.
Why creative briefs are so essential for ad agencies and their marketing clients. Plus how to use a brief to make sure you get strategic, inspired creative.
Writing a business proposal: A step by step approachsamsonmpundu1979
This presentation highlights the key considerations when preparing a business proposal. It shows the key elements of proposal. It's aimed at making you prepare your own business proposal from scratch.
This presentation was originally made at the 2016 Association of American University Presses Annual Meeting, 17 June 2016. It discusses both why and how to effectively hire consultants. The slides were developed by my colleague Pam Harley who originally was scheduled to give this talk.
What is A Business Proposal?
Unlike a business plan, which is written to run your company and raise capital, a business proposal is an unsolicited or solicited bid for business. There are two types of business proposal that can help you gain more business to grow your company.
Types of proposals
There are mainly three types of proposal:-
1:-Business proposal
2:-Technical proposal
3:-Research proposal
A New Partnering Alliance Approach At Otsukavillahill
This presentation describes a state-of-the-art partnership alliance between Otsuka and Covance. It also describes a staffing forecasting model that will be used in the partnership.
Why creative briefs are so essential for ad agencies and their marketing clients. Plus how to use a brief to make sure you get strategic, inspired creative.
Writing a business proposal: A step by step approachsamsonmpundu1979
This presentation highlights the key considerations when preparing a business proposal. It shows the key elements of proposal. It's aimed at making you prepare your own business proposal from scratch.
Given the complexity of creating RFPs, organisations are not
always fully equipped to ask the correct questions, and might even
lack the required technical knowledge. This talk will demonstrate
the importance of considering input from others when setting
up your own RFP as this can save time and money – the risks
of not identifying all potential pitfalls at RFP stage can be time-
consuming and costly a few years later. This talk will apply to
all in the industry, from publishers seeking out new platform
providers to libraries sourcing vendors for specific projects.
Tracy Gardner, Renew Publishing Consultants
Yann Amouroux, Bioscientifica
How to run an efficient CMS Evaluation & Procurement ProcessLouise Ryan
Find everything you need to know about how to effectively evaluate what you need from a CMS, how to write an efficient RFT/RFP document and how to score a CMS vendor.
Bodhtree cloud services address complex business challenges of global SMBs and Fortune listed organizations. We partner with enterprises and help transform their business prossess through our comprehensive range of cloud Services.
2018 11-14 generating ideas on how to manage cro'seyalsron
Deconstructing challenges faced with working with CROs and effective processes to overcome them
Managing the process of relationship development with the right CRO to reduce unnecessary consumption of time
Unveiling mistakes and understanding the best way to work with CRO’s to strengthen relationships with your current and new vendors
Emphasizing the importance of coordination and communication and how that benefits your work load and organization of preclinical trials
Project Management as an Art Form (DrupalCon Chicago 2011)Phase2
From DrupalCon Chicago 2011, Nicole Lind joins Joel Sackett and colleagues from other top agencies to discuss approaches to managing enterprise-level Drupal projects.
Questions answered by this session
Question 1: How does PM involvement impact the various phases of a project and the organization... and should it?
Question 2: How do you say "No" to the wrong type of work and still keep a positive client relationship?
Question 3: How do you partner with clients to ensure the project needs are met?
Question 4: Are there differences in managing Drupal projects versus other technology projects?
Question 5: What are some shared tools to help navigate the questions being answered in this session?
LSCTIG 2015 Session Materials - Shop Smart: How a Formal Procurement Process ...Legal Services Corporation
LSCTIG 2015 Session Materials - Shop Smart: How a Formal Procurement Process can Safeguard Your Investment
Buying a major system, such as phones or CMS, or hiring a consultant to help deploy technology can be a hit or miss experience. We all want to avoid the fiascos. In this session, we’ll discuss the best ways to identify and evaluate vendors and discuss some key strategies for ensuring that major system implementations return the results that you’re looking for. Topics will include Requests for Information and Proposals; what to look for in a demo or interview; negotiating contracts and engaging your co-workers in the project.
7 Questions to Ask Your Prospective Outsourced Product Development Vendortrigentsoftware
This SlideShare on `7 Questions to Ask Your Prospective Outsourced Product Development Vendor' will help you narrow down your choices for selecting the best outsourcing partner for your product development
Reflections is a guide to help companies and candidates alike to get more out of their recruitment processes. Created by Neon River, a specialist internet and technology industry focused executive search firm, it also provides valuable insight on company compensation structures.
Implementing Commission Systems - 6 step guideDouglas Erb
This is brief presentation has an accompanied webcast. You will learn the foundation steps to doing a successful commission project implementation. If you are interested in the artifacts referenced in the deck, please contact us. https://youtu.be/uyQV5BFRUX4
InHub LLC was founded in 2014 by two former investment advisors with the mission of using innovation to give people back their most valuable asset: Time. We’re here to give time back to the CEO's, CFO’s, HR Directors, Executive Directors and other fiduciaries so they can focus on their most important duty: serving their participants and beneficiaries.
Redtape Busters, a leading Grant Writing Company has specialised grant writers assisting businesses and non-profit organisations all over Australia. Our grant writing service is very successful, with millions of dollars worth of grants awarded to our clients. For more information, please visit - http://bit.ly/2nuWajg
Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit and TemplatesAurelien Domont, MBA
This Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit was created by ex-McKinsey, Deloitte and BCG Management Consultants, after more than 5,000 hours of work. It is considered the world's best & most comprehensive Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit. It includes all the Frameworks, Best Practices & Templates required to successfully undertake the Digital Transformation of your organization and define a robust IT Strategy.
Editable Toolkit to help you reuse our content: 700 Powerpoint slides | 35 Excel sheets | 84 minutes of Video training
This PowerPoint presentation is only a small preview of our Toolkits. For more details, visit www.domontconsulting.com
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to ma...Lviv Startup Club
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to make small projects with small budgets profitable for the company (UA)
Kyiv PMDay 2024 Summer
Website – www.pmday.org
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/startuplviv
FB – https://www.facebook.com/pmdayconference
Putting the SPARK into Virtual Training.pptxCynthia Clay
This 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Adobe, was delivered for the Training Mag Network. It explored the five elements of SPARK: Storytelling, Purpose, Action, Relationships, and Kudos. Knowing how to tell a well-structured story is key to building long-term memory. Stating a clear purpose that doesn't take away from the discovery learning process is critical. Ensuring that people move from theory to practical application is imperative. Creating strong social learning is the key to commitment and engagement. Validating and affirming participants' comments is the way to create a positive learning environment.
What is the TDS Return Filing Due Date for FY 2024-25.pdfseoforlegalpillers
It is crucial for the taxpayers to understand about the TDS Return Filing Due Date, so that they can fulfill your TDS obligations efficiently. Taxpayers can avoid penalties by sticking to the deadlines and by accurate filing of TDS. Timely filing of TDS will make sure about the availability of tax credits. You can also seek the professional guidance of experts like Legal Pillers for timely filing of the TDS Return.
Personal Brand Statement:
As an Army veteran dedicated to lifelong learning, I bring a disciplined, strategic mindset to my pursuits. I am constantly expanding my knowledge to innovate and lead effectively. My journey is driven by a commitment to excellence, and to make a meaningful impact in the world.
Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
Falcon stands out as a top-tier P2P Invoice Discounting platform in India, bridging esteemed blue-chip companies and eager investors. Our goal is to transform the investment landscape in India by establishing a comprehensive destination for borrowers and investors with diverse profiles and needs, all while minimizing risk. What sets Falcon apart is the elimination of intermediaries such as commercial banks and depository institutions, allowing investors to enjoy higher yields.
Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdfKaiNexus
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
What are the main advantages of using HR recruiter services.pdfHumanResourceDimensi1
HR recruiter services offer top talents to companies according to their specific needs. They handle all recruitment tasks from job posting to onboarding and help companies concentrate on their business growth. With their expertise and years of experience, they streamline the hiring process and save time and resources for the company.
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
1. SSP FALL SEMINARS 2016: Successfully Executing an RFP Process
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
Pam Harley SENIOR CONSULTANT, CLARKE & COMPANY
5 October 2016
TEL 202 545 7258
EMAIL pharley@clarke-company.com
2. PUBLISHER—Long tenure in publishing division at
American Psychiatric Association, where I held various
roles that involved RFP management from the publisher
perspective.
SOFTWARE VENDOR—Stint at Silverchair, where I was
involved in responding to a LOT of RFPs for semantic
services, online product development, and platform
hosting. Including a “Bakeoff”!
CONSULTANT—Currently with Clarke & Company,
where we help clients manage various types of RFPs as
well as respond to RFPs for our consulting services.
Why Me?
2
DIGITAL / CONTENT STRATEGY
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
CUSTOMER / INDUSTRY INSIGHT
SALES / MARKETING STRATEGY
BUSINESS OPERATIONS ANALYSIS
CLARKE & COMPANY
4. Make sure the Request for Proposal (RFP) process is the right tool for
your needs.
§ Do you have a clear understanding of the business needs the solution is
intended to solve? Is your scope sufficiently focused?
§ Do you have detailed requirements with internal agreement around them?
§ Do you have a good understanding of the solutions on the market? Do you have
a good sense of the viable vendors/partners?
§ Do you have multiple internal stakeholders and need an inclusive and unbiased
approach to decision making?
§ Are you ready to make a decision/purchase?
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
4
CLARKE & COMPANY
5. When is the RFP process NOT the right tool?
§ As a replacement for doing your own research (into potential solutions on the
market)
§ To vet dissimilar solutions (where “apples to apples” comparison is not
possible)
§ To get high-level cost estimates for budgeting
§ When your business goals are unclear
§ When you lack a clear understanding of your requirements
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
5
CLARKE & COMPANY
6. What if you aren’t sure? Start with a Project Charter.
§ Project Charter = statement of scope, objectives, and stakeholders in a project.
§ The Project Charter defines:
• Situation/problem and how it fits into company strategy
• Desired outcomes and results
• Value of taking on the project
• How success in meeting objectives will be measured
• In-scope and out-of-scope items
• Project team and decision-makers
• Parameters such as business-critical dates and budget that impact the project
§ Use the Project Charter to help decide what tool (RFP, RFQ, RFI) is best for
getting at what you needed.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
6
CLARKE & COMPANY
7. Remember: The RFP is a process, not a document.
§ Design a process that helps you evaluate the potential solutions and select the one
that best fits your needs.
§ Keep lines of communication with potential vendors/partners open throughout the
process (don’t disappear after the RFP is released).
§ Be responsive to requests for more information/clarifications.
§ BUT—give vendors a deadline well in advance of the proposal due date for
questions/clarifications. Otherwise you’ll have a frantic last-minute rush of requests.
§ Ask for expressions of interest from vendors before you release the RFP. On release
of the RFP, ask for confirmation that vendor will be submitting a proposal so you’ll
know how many proposals you’ll get.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
7
CLARKE & COMPANY
8. Structure the RFP process so that it allows you to identify true
differentiators between vendors/partners and allows you to focus on
what matters most to YOUR organization.
§ Prioritize requirements internally.
§ When evaluating solutions, weight business needs based on priority (all
requirements are not equal!)
§ Avoid asking vendors for things that you know you won’t use in your evaluation.
§ Look beyond “table stakes”—how do the solutions differ? How do those differences
align with your business priorities?
§ Beware vaporware (“Show me on a live site.” “How many times have you deployed
this solution? For which clients?).
§ Do not discount cultural fit.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
8
CLARKE & COMPANY
9. Allow sufficient time and breathing room in the RFP schedule.
§ Plan ahead—it’s much easier to make good decisions and negotiate good
agreements when you have enough time.
• Time to create the RFP documentation and process
• Send a “save the date” so vendors can set aside time
• Time for vendors to respond to the RFP
• Time to winnow to finalists
• Time for vendors to prep for finalist presentations
• Time for your organization to analyze responses and make a decision
§ Be aware of internal resourcing constraints (e.g., annual meetings).
§ Stick to the schedule and keep the momentum going—don’t let any phase
languish.
Rushing any phase of the process can put the outcome at risk.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
9
CLARKE & COMPANY
10. Think strategically about what information about your business to share
as part of the RFP process.
§ What information is “must have” in order for vendors to prepare proposals/
offers? Should any information be held back (e.g., certain category of revenue,
current number of subscribers) to allow you to better evaluate proposal
responses?
§ Clarity and accuracy in information provided in the RFP are critical. (This can be
more challenging that you think, as the RFP may aggregate information from
different parts of your organization.)
§ Your budget?
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
10
CLARKE & COMPANY
11. Remember: You are not done until you have an executed contract.
§ Have general agreement on financial/business terms, roles/responsibilities before
contract negotiations begin.
§ A consultant can be helpful as a “buffer” between staff and vendor/partner during
negotiations.
§ Get good legal input (from someone knowledgeable about publishing).
§ What happens on termination of the contract? (Do you get your content back? In what
form? What about subscriber data?) Write exit conditions into the contract.
§ Watch out for contract term lengths that extend too far into the future—what seems like
a good deal now might not be 7 years from now.
§ Watch out for auto-renewals as well—they can be timesavers, but if they specify more
than a year you risk locking yourself into a too-long agreement by default.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
11
CLARKE & COMPANY
12. Get help (from a consultant) if you need it.
RFP Dos (and some Don’ts)
12
CLARKE & COMPANY
14. § High-value, mission-critical initiative and you want to accelerate speed of the
project
§ Seek a broad view of the market and what similar organizations are doing
§ Insufficient industry/technology experience on internal team to properly
complete a comprehensive RFP
§ Extra bandwidth—just can’t do it in house because not enough time
§ Need a fresh perspective
§ Provide a non-partisan authority, objectivity, impartial third party (i.e.,
“politics”…)
§ Counterbalance information asymmetry when dealing with vendors,
commercial publishers, or other organizations
14
When Should You Consider a Consultant?
CLARKE & COMPANY
15. § Reach out to your network—who have they worked with to solve similar
problems?
§ Look for a consultant who
• Has a good track record with similar organizations
• Has repeat clients
• Understands the nuances of your market
§ Consider whether consultants from outside your professional space will need
extra time (and more of your money) to get up to speed in understanding your
business.
How Do You Pick the Right Consultant?
15
CLARKE & COMPANY
16. § Engage actively with consultants as part of the selection process.
• Does consultant understand your business? Your challenges? Does consultant solicit your
input?
• Engage in dialog about your questions, challenges—what is consultant’s proposed
approach? Does it resonate?
• Is the consultant responsive?
• Do you have good rapport with the consultant? Respect his/her input?
• Look for a consultant who acts like a peer, or a partner—not a vendor.
How Do You Pick the Right Consultant?
16
CLARKE & COMPANY
17. § Unless schedule, budget, and scope are well defined up front, an RFP is likely to
not be your best tool to select a consultant.
• Proposals that result from RFPs can be difficult to compare as they may assume very
different scope, approach, timeline, and budget.
§ Don’t hesitate to negotiate with a consultant if you like their approach—they
may be able to adjust approach without loss of results if they have a better idea
of your budget.
§ Be on the lookout for bias—e.g., does the consultant have a vested interest in a
particular vendor or software?
How Do You Pick the Right Consultant?
17
CLARKE & COMPANY