Before you start writing your RFP, have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Your RFP goals and metrics should align with your organizational goals and strategies, as well as the specific needs and challenges of the project. Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you track and evaluate the progress and results of the project. By defining your RFP goals and metrics, you can set a clear direction and scope for your RFP, as well as a standard for comparing and selecting the best proposals.
When I'm developing an RFP, I put together an outline with metrics, strategies, and KPIs all bulleted. I then start building my RFP from there.
I recommend purchasers introduce must-have requirements as early as possible so these are not forgotten. If that happens alongside goal discovery and definition, all the better.
I would say, understand what you want to achieve with the RFP. Common objectives include finding the best vendor, getting the best value for money, ensuring compliance, and minimizing risks. Also, establish metrics to measure the effectiveness of the RFP process. These could include the number of quality responses received, time taken to evaluate proposals, stakeholder satisfaction, and the final contract's alignment with project goals.
There are many resources and tools available online that can help you follow RFP best practices and guidelines. For example, you can use templates, checklists, samples, and examples from reputable sources, such as industry associations, government agencies, or professional consultants. You can also refer to the RFP standards and frameworks — such as the APMP Body of Knowledge, the ISO 21500 Project Management, or the PMBOK Guide — which provide comprehensive and consistent guidelines for planning, writing, and managing RFPs. By following RFP best practices and guidelines, you can ensure that your RFP is clear, concise, comprehensive, and compliant with the relevant regulations and expectations.
Research similar projects to understand typical timelines, costs, and functionalities. Leverage online resources from industry associations or consult RFP specialists for templates and best practice guides. This ensures your RFP is clear, concise, and effectively communicates your needs. Following industry benchmarks helps potential partners understand your expectations and submit more relevant proposals. Furthermore, a well-structured RFP using best practices allows for a smoother evaluation process, saving you time and effort in selecting the ideal AI partner
Look at the industry you're sourcing from. Land surveying will differ from media buying in significant ways, for example. Keep these industry distinctions updated as well; video production has undergone drastic changes in the last three years, consulting requires fewer administrative FTEs, etc.
I think that for a successful RFP, you need alignment with everyone involved. Effective communication and well-designed workflow to support issues during the process. Project assumptions from this areas must be considered, such as Security rules, Infrastructure, GDPR.
To ensure that your RFP is error-free, accurate, and complete, use RFP quality assurance tools and methods. For example, you can use software tools such as grammar checkers, spell checkers, plagiarism checkers, or readability analyzers to review and improve your RFP language and format. You can also use methods such as peer reviews, feedback sessions, or pilot tests to solicit and incorporate input and suggestions from your stakeholders, experts, or potential vendors. By using RFP quality assurance tools and methods, you can identify and correct any issues or gaps in your RFP, and enhance its clarity, relevance, and appeal.
The best tool to review a proposal is a colleague. In my experience, tools that review the proposal for grammar, spelling, readability, or other areas to improve catch 90% of the issues and create a few of their own. The last 10% require an experienced second set of eyes to confirm your proposal is well composed and ready for submission. Budget time in your proposal schedule for a thorough review by at least one other person in every RFP response.
To compare your RFP quality with industry best practices, benchmark your RFP against industry standards and competitors. You can use online platforms — such as RFP360, Loopio, or RFPIO — that allow you to access and analyze industry data and trends, and compare your RFP with similar or previous RFPs from your industry or sector. You can also use benchmarking tools — such as scorecards, surveys, or audits — that enable you to measure and evaluate your RFP performance and outcomes against predefined criteria or best practices. By benchmarking your RFP against industry standards and competitors, you can gain insights and feedback on your RFP strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities and areas for improvement.
Research successful RFPs in your field. Look for how they structure their documents, the information they request, and how they outline their goals. Industry associations, professional networks, or even RFP writing consultants might offer anonymized examples or templates. Analyze these to compare your RFP's clarity, structure, and alignment with best practices. Remember, the goal isn't to copy, but to refine your own RFP. By understanding how others effectively communicate their needs, you can craft a document that attracts the most qualified AI partners and sets your project up for success
Become connected to, and engage with your industry's membership organizations. Many of them publish best practices and technical guidance around industry-specific challenges. They also create industry standards for best practices, which allow you to formally standardize on a format more widely used / accepted, which may help expedite processes and streamline evaluations.
The best audit for your RFP: "Are you sourcing quality vendors that provide value for your organization?" All other questions about evaluation criteria (or whatever) should be secondary. For proposals, the inverse is true: "Are you capturing quality contract work that makes the partnership shine?" A shining partnership will be generative/rewarding in the future.
To continuously improve your RFP quality, it's important to learn from your RFP results and experiences. Collect and analyze data and information on your RFP process and outcomes, such as the number and quality of proposals received, the vendor selection and negotiation process, the project implementation and delivery process, and the project benefits and impacts. Document and share your RFP lessons learned and best practices, and implement any changes or recommendations for future RFPs. By learning from your RFP results and experiences, you can enhance your RFP knowledge and skills and optimize your RFP value and success.
Analyze proposals and reflect on your own RFP. Scrutinize strengths and weaknesses in both the responses and how your RFP attracted them. This self-reflection hones your RFP writing for the future. Did the proposals offer the expected detail? Were your goals clearly communicated? Incorporate any feedback from potential partners to improve your RFP process. By continuously learning from each RFP experience, you'll craft even more effective documents that attract the ideal AI partner, propelling your project towards success. Remember, effective RFPs are iterative, so use this knowledge to make your next one even better
Think about the vendors and stand in their shoes when designing an RFP process. • Keep it simple. • Set an aggressive timetable and meet your own timescales. • Reduce the number of questions - keeping them to the most important. • Give vendors warning. • Issue a problem statement rather than being too specific - allowing them to help with new ideas you may not have thought about. • Issue to your shortlist - make use of an RFI process to go from a ‘Longlist’ to the most suitable vendors.
The RFP page "real estate" or the spatial allowances you give certain information matters. A brief mention of an initiative signals insignificance, even if the initiative is massively salient and has contract relevance. Vendors will read importance in the lengthier sections, so be careful what you're spending this real estate on.