Government procurements, often called Request for Proposals (RFPs), cover nearly every business market/industry sector in the United States. Virtually every government entity/agency utilizes open, competitive procurements as a means to purchase goods and services from the public, such as real estate, construction, office supplies, health care equipment, and many other commodities. Many companies find it economically beneficial to respond to these procurements to win additional business.
Historically, this has been a “lowest-bid” system, wherein the business that offers the best/lowest price gets the contract. However, recent trends have shifted government buying strategies towards the best overall value – evaluating quality, company experience, team expertise, and other factors alongside cost, creating both a fairer and more competitive procurement environment than ever before. For companies to win government contracts in this new competitive arena, the quality of each company’s RFP response is now more important than ever. Here are some tips to submitting a winning proposal response:
- Organize your response to be 100% compliant to the RFP requirements and on the areas they need information from you. Do not just submit your standard company’s boilerplate information.
- State your offering and the value it brings upfront. Do this clearly and concisely so that the reader knows immediately what your organization can provide and how it meets their needs.
- Give some background information on your organization and experience to persuade them to select you as their preferred vendor and someone they can trust to deliver.
- Provide a solution and clear response to each problem/objective discussed in the RFP.
- Show all costs clearly, what is/is not included in your pricing and the reasoning/rationale for your pricing.
- Provide a conclusion that efficiently summarizes your proposal and all the key points of your offering.
Pugliese Associates helps companies navigate the bureaucracy of state and municipal governments, guiding companies through the bid process to learn what it takes to WIN. Our knowledgeable and experienced professionals will work with you throughout this journey, ensuring your company fully understands the procurement process and produces the perfect response – ultimately providing valuable support that is well worth your investment. If you’d like to see how Pugliese Associates can help, contact Lindy Music, lindy@puglieseassociates.com 717-238-9078.