TArticles tagged with: RFP preparation

L versus M – Where do I start?

Using section M as the basis of your proposal could result in a non-compliant bid

I’ve noticed a trend with some companies to use section M of the government solicitation document as the basis for their proposal structure. While I understand the desire to make it easy for the evaluators to score your proposal, this could result in a non-compliant bid. Organize your bid or proposal according to the customer’s instructions. A compliant proposal meets the customer’s requirements and submittal instructions. U.S. federal bid requests issued under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15 must comply with detailed instructions on how the bid request and bid response are to be structured. Requirements for the structure of the proposal are provided in section L. Evaluation factors for the award are provided in section M. Evaluators often review proposals in two passes.  The first pass is a compliance review to section L.  This review may be performed by the CO and if the proposal is not rigorously compliant, … Continue reading L versus M – Where do I start?

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7 Reasons to meet the client before RFP release

Best informed wins

The better you understand a new business opportunity, the more likely you are to make an informed decision about whether you should bid. Similarly, the better the government understands your firm’s capabilities, the more likely they are to want your company to compete. Meeting the client is an essential first step in this process. You must conduct face-to-face information-gathering meetings with clients to increase your knowledge about the opportunity and to begin positioning your firm as a leading competitor for the procurement. While market research provides a running start at understanding the opportunity, the clients are the ones closest to the opportunity and can provide information that outsiders cannot. By holding true conversations with a client as soon as possible in the opportunity identification and qualification stages – versus holding thinly veiled marketing meetings – you can gather information that helps you to understand the client’s requirements and objectives,  tailor … Continue reading 7 Reasons to meet the client before RFP release

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