Clear thinking

Use a competitive solutions matrix (CSM) as part of proposal strategy making. The CSM lets you match your solution against each identified prospect need and issue, and then compare your response to competitors’ offerings for each item. The exercise helps pinpoint...

Once you completely understand the RFP, decide how you will structure your proposal. Depending on the RFP, the structure may be self-evident, or you may have to infer it. If the RFP: Specifies a structure, follow it exactly, using the same numbering system as in the...

To develop a competitive proposal, you first need to master the RFP (or RFQ). This seems self-evident—but we repeatedly run into situations where clients still haven’t fully grasped one or more requirements, just weeks before the due date. One of our team talks about...

Vendor complacency as a common client complaint in long-term contracts. If complacency extends to your rebid, you’re at high risk of losing the business. Few companies set out to be complacent. Instead, it’s the cumulative result of various blind spots, including...

This is part of a series on improving rebid success, including laying the groundwork for a successful rebid right from the moment the contract is awarded. This post contains tactics for taking advantage of incumbency to develop client knowledge that can be used in the...

Congratulations—you’ve won the contract! Everyone is busy. The transition and operation teams are focused on start-up and finding ways to optimize profit. And the business developers are working on winning the next piece of business. Contract renewal is years away and...

We see incumbents lose rebids fairly often. In fact, according to one recent report, 40 percent of incumbents lose U.S. federal contracts at rebid. There may be good reason for these losses. Some incumbents perform poorly or fail to manage the relationship well. In...

In the last three posts we covered proposal kick-off goals, preparation and participants. Now let’s look at a recommended structure and tips for running the meeting. The agenda below will fit most proposals. For very large proposals, volume managers and senior editors...

In the past two posts, we covered proposal kickoff meeting goals and how to prepare for successful proposal kickoffs. This post identifies those who should be present and the roles each will play. Because the kick-off needs to motivate, inform and direct the...

Last week’s post identified proposal kick-off meeting goals—to motivate, inform and direct the proposal team. Successful kick-offs result from careful preparation—taking time to build, test and package a strategy, so team members know exactly what’s expected of them....