How to write a Request for Proposal?
The secret to crafting an effective Request for Proposal lies in beginning with all the necessary information at hand. Prior to commencing the process, it’s crucial to ensure that the goals and objectives have received unanimous agreement from all key stakeholders. Following that, it’s imperative to have a clear definition of all the requirements in place. Only once both of these tasks have been successfully accomplished can you initiate the actual writing process.
Step 1: Build Your Team: The most crucial initial step involves bringing together a team of knowledgeable and effective members who will contribute to writing the proposal. This team should include key individuals such as the Program Manager (PM), who will oversee the project if it’s approved, and the RFP Manager, who is responsible for managing the development process.
Step 2: Create a Plan: Develop a comprehensive plan that outlines how to create the RFP Content (Refer to the Government RFP Content section below) and the primary requirements that need to be fulfilled. This plan should itemize these proposal requirements in a Compliance Matrix. A well-structured plan should include a timeline indicating deadlines for various tasks, as well as clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all members of the proposal team.
Step 3: Establish the Outline: Each leader of a section is tasked with formulating a Proposal Outline for the specific proposal volume they are assigned to. This detailed outline elaborates on the High-Level Outline, incorporating aspects like customer requirements, specific descriptions, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and administrative approaches for each volume and section.
Step 4: Draft the Initial Version: Team members collaborate to create the first rough draft, which is subsequently reviewed by each section manager.
Step 5: Refine the Second Draft: The team revises the second rough draft, which is then evaluated by the Project Manager.
Step 6: Involve Stakeholder Feedback: The RFP project manager should coordinate the involvement of stakeholders in reviewing the draft RFP. This review should be planned towards the conclusion of the writing process, allowing ample time for the Red Team Review comments and recommendations to be considered and integrated into the final draft of the RFP.