Responding to the RFPThe Vendor’s perspective

SLAs and SLTs Case studies References Samples

Cover letter Executive Summary About us Security Statement

Proposal Builder Software

You’ve received an RFP.

now what?

Read it

Seek Guidance

Establish your Win Themes

Kick-off Meeting Forward the RFP with

notations for each stakeholder in advance of the kickoff meeting

Include all stakeholders as determined in your RFP Response Process

Communicate the win-theme

Provide as much competitive information as possible

Ensure everyone is aware of key dates

Indicate location of critical resources such as the google calendar for the response

Set clear expectations

Collect Your Questions

Pricing

Frame your response

Grammar Counts

Final, internal, stakeholder review

Submit it before the deadline

Prepare for the PitchAssemble your “away team”Frame your presentationEstablish your preparation plan

Yes, everyone needs to rehearse No, you don’t “have it down” already

Incumbent vs Challenger

Take Nothing for GrantedBe preparedBe OVERLY preparedFunction as a team from the moment you enter

the building to the moment you walk in your door at home.

Negotiation

Celebrate

Post-mortemWin or lose, you need to review what

transpiredTake note of what worked, and what you’d do

differently

Pet Peeves