AEC Marketing Tips, Advice & Ideas

Trial by Fire: Surviving A Squall of RFPs

August 23rd, 2017 by Hilary Adorno

As Project Manager, one of my first assignments was to familiarize myself with the overwhelming process of gathering and organizing material required for the submission of our clients’ responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) and Requests for Information (RFIs). It was somewhat of a “trial by fire” situation, as June proved to be an uncharacteristically busy month of proposal production work at Golden Egg Concepts.

In my brief time on the job, I have seen RFPs range from 3 paragraphs to 70 pages in length (and I’ve been warned they can be considerably longer).  The range of information requested and how it is to be formatted can vary from excruciatingly detailed or very vague.  One thing I know for certain: if you don’t prepare your response comprehensively and accurately, your time and effort will be for naught.

Here are some of my takeaways over the past month:

Flag long lead items right off the bat! Comb through the solicitation immediately and take note of any items that require planning and coordination, such as the need for financial statements, notarized forms, or subconsultant materials.

The devil is in the details. Maintaining a library of project descriptions, statistics and other key details about your firm’s work is essential. From client references and construction costs to completion dates and change orders, you should be prepared to supply it all. 

Follow directions, even if they don’t make sense. RFPs aren’t always tightly composed, perfectly structured documents. Be sure to abide by the submittal instructions, even if they are redundant or otherwise illogical. You don’t want to run the risk of submitting a response that breaks the rules because it may be rejected.

Say it up front. Your transmittal letter sets the tone for multiple tabs worth of material that your audience will pour over with anticipation (or skim through disinterestedly). It’s your place to differentiate your firm from the pack, and demonstrate why you are the absolute best choice for the job. Take the opportunity to clearly and succinctly explain not only why you are qualified and capable, but why you care about the project.

The lowest bidder doesn’t always win! For many owners, cost is just one of many evaluation criteria. The most qualified, complete and accurate proposals are often the winners.

Helping the cause

I have streamlined our internal process by developing a Submittal Outline template, used as a tool to break down complex RFP requirements, divide and conquer the tasks, and avoid last minute surprises. I have also found that adding key milestones to the calendars of those involved in the production process, such as pre-proposal conferences, deadlines for questions, and internal draft delivery and review dates, has been a helpful way to keep the team on track. Both tactics have proven to be particularly helpful – especially in the context of juggling multiple deadlines per week.

How does your firm weather the RFP storm?

Do you have the tools you need to be organized and prepared for whatever comes your way, or are you always bracing yourself for the worst? We'd love to talk with you about your process (or lack thereof…) and help you come up with a customized strategy for success to implement at your firm. Hit us up!