Busting RFP Myths: Why Your Procurement Process Isn’t Getting the Results You Want

As procurement professionals, we’ve all heard the same questions over and over: Why aren’t we getting more bids? Why do we keep working with the same suppliers? It’s a recurring challenge that has more to do with the way we approach RFPs than anything else.

After 20+ years of working with both public and private organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, I’ve seen the same issues crop up repeatedly. More often than not, the solution lies not in increasing your budget or advertising more widely, but in addressing the fundamental aspects of your RFP process. Let’s break down some key insights that can help transform your procurement outcomes.

1. Suppliers Are Asking: “Is It Worth It?”

Before diving into an RFP, suppliers go through a mental checklist:

- What’s our current workload? Can we take on more?

- What’s the client’s reputation like?

- Is the scope of work clear?

- Can we make money on this?

- How much effort is required to respond?

- Do we actually have a chance of winning?

If your RFP is riddled with ambiguities or has a reputation for being overly complicated, you’ll likely see fewer bids. Suppliers, particularly smaller ones, weigh these factors carefully.

In one case, we worked with a state government struggling with low participation in their RFPs. A quick survey revealed that 70% of contractors felt the process wasn’t fair, and the state received a dismal 30% approval rating compared to 80% for other clients. Even though the state thought they were being fair, their reputation among vendors told a different story.

2. The Curse of the 200-Page Proposal

Let’s be honest: the more you ask for, the less appealing your RFP becomes. One client required vendors to respond to 190 questions with a 6-week deadline. The result? Only a few large vendors were able to respond, and those who did submitted 200-page proposals.

This is a clear case of RFP overkill. Smaller businesses, which often provide more personalized service and innovative solutions, are overwhelmed by such exhaustive requests. They simply don’t have the resources to spend weekends answering hundreds of questions. Larger businesses might have teams dedicated to this, but even they prefer simplicity.

3. Simplify to Attract More Vendors

We’ve seen incredible results by cutting down RFPs to their essentials. For example, reducing an RFP from 60 pages to just 2 made it easier for suppliers to respond—and we saw an immediate increase in the number and quality of proposals.

Here’s what we recommend:

🔹 Limit proposal pages to 2-5 pages for the sections that matter most.

🔹 Shift detailed requests (e.g., safety plans, resumes) to later in the process, after you’ve narrowed down your supplier pool.

In one case, we reduced a client’s RFP to just 5 pages, but over time even those responses became repetitive. Eventually, we cut it down to 2 pages, and the fluff disappeared. Vendors were forced to get straight to the point, which improved the quality of their proposals and made it easier for evaluators to read and score.

4. Key Personnel Matter More Than Scope

Procurement teams often get bogged down in the technical details of an RFP—scope, timelines, budgets—but forget that the real determinant of success lies in the people delivering the work. You could have the most well-written scope, but if the team working on it isn’t up to par, your project is bound to suffer.

The best way to ensure project success is by interviewing key personnel, not just the firm. In one memorable case, we interviewed vendors for a demolition project on Kodiak Island, where the right team’s expertise saved both time and a million dollars. Their experience working in extreme weather conditions allowed them to suggest a faster, safer method that no one else had thought of.

It’s not about the resume—it’s about how well they know the project and can handle the challenges ahead.

5. Anonymous Proposals = Fairer Evaluations

One of the simplest ways to boost competition and level the playing field is to anonymize proposals. Removing company names forces evaluators to focus on the quality of the response rather than preconceived notions about the vendor’s reputation.

In a recent project, we saw small businesses win 320% more awards simply by anonymizing proposals. Evaluators were no longer influenced by brand recognition but focused purely on the content.

For example, on a university IT project, we had expected only three firms to bid, but with an anonymous proposal process, we ended up with eight! What’s more, the top two firms in the industry ranked lower than a local, lesser-known vendor that delivered a stellar proposal and knocked it out of the park during interviews.

6. Stop Asking for 200 Pages of Fluff

In one case, a vendor submitted a 200-page proposal, and guess what? Most of it was marketing jargon, common solutions, and boilerplate content. We cut down the page limit to 2-5 pages, forcing vendors to focus on the essentials and strip away the fluff.

Not only did this make life easier for the evaluators, but the vendors actually appreciated the simplicity. It allowed them to spend more time focusing on solving real project challenges rather than writing a novel.

7. Use Key Personnel Interviews to Predict Success

Think back to the worst project experience you’ve had. I bet it wasn’t the contract that failed—it was the people assigned to the project. That’s why it’s crucial to interview the key personnel who’ll be on the ground, not just the executives or sales team.

Interviewing individuals one-on-one reveals much more about their expertise than looking at a polished resume or hearing a group presentation.

8. Give Small Businesses a Fighting Chance

Small businesses can often outperform larger competitors when given a fair shot. The problem is that traditional RFP processes don’t always allow them the chance to shine. By simplifying your requirements and making proposals anonymous, you open the door for these smaller firms to compete.

One of our clients, the University of Minnesota, increased their awards to small businesses by 320% just by using anonymous proposals—no additional preferences or points, just anonymity.

9. Make the RFP Less Intimidating

At the end of the day, a shorter, clearer RFP benefits everyone. Suppliers are more likely to respond, evaluators can get through the material faster, and you’ll likely get better quality proposals. It’s a win-win.

If you're still getting only a few responses to your RFPs, it might be time to look at how you're structuring your process. Are you asking for too much too soon? Are your expectations reasonable? A few tweaks can make a huge difference in your results.

10. Final Thought: Shift the Work to the End

One of the biggest takeaways I’ve learned from years of working in procurement is that you don’t need to ask for everything upfront. Shift the heavy lifting to the end of the process. Invite only the top suppliers to provide detailed plans, key personnel, and risk assessments once you’ve shortlisted them. This reduces the burden on suppliers, saves time for evaluators, and ensures you’re only getting the best of the best.

In procurement, less really is more.

#Procurement #RFP #VendorManagement #SupplierDiversity #BusinessStrategy #KeyPersonnel #SmallBusiness