Tools and Templates Appendix A—Descriptions of Effective Proposal Characteristics
CHARACTERISTICS
DEFINITIONS
Have all bid request requirements been addressed and all instructions followed? Compliance means strict adherence to the customer’s bid request, both the submittal instructions and the requirements. Compliance with instructions means that you have followed the requested format, answered all questions, completed all forms, and submitted your response to the right person and place on time. Compliance with requirements means that you have agreed to meet all requirements as asked in the bid request. Does the proposal clearly and directly address the customer’s needs? Responsiveness means addressing the customer’s underlying needs. Proposals can be responsive but not compliant, or compliant but nonresponsive. The proposal must also address the needs of the customer and provide specific benefits that are associated with the features of the proposed solution. These features are most powerfully presented as discriminators. Is it obvious why this offer should be selected? Strategies that move the bidder to a favored position can be categorized as actions taken to leverage strengths, mitigate weaknesses, highlight competitor weaknesses, and neutralize competitor strengths. During proposal development, these strategies become the central messages of the proposal. Is it obvious why this offer is better than competitive offers? A winning proposal must not only respond to the customer’s issues and requirements, it must also reflect your knowledge of the competition and their strengths, weaknesses, solutions, and pricing. A well-executed competitive assessment will contribute valuable input to your strategy, win themes, discriminators, ghosting of competitors, solution, pricing, and teaming considerations.
Compliance
Responsiveness
Strategy
Competitive Focus
45
Powered by FlippingBook