Business development, capture, and pre RFP pursuit
The goal of pre RFP pursuit is winning before the RFP is released
The MustWin Process defines specific goals to be achieved prior to RFP release, so that when the proposal starts you will already have a competitive advantage.
You must have specific goals that you seek to accomplish before the RFP is released. Otherwise, the time will likely be wasted. Here is a list of pre RFP goals recommended by the MustWin Process:
- Collect intelligence about the customer, opportunity, and competition so that you will know what it will take to win
- Track measurable progress towards collecting the intelligence that will enable you to answer the questions the proposal writers will need answered in order to write a great proposal
- Develop an information advantage
- Grow the customer relationship
- Develop your win strategies and position your company to win
- Lay the foundation for any teaming with other companies that may be necessary to win the opportunity
- Identify all of the internal resources that may be able to contribute to the proposal effort
- Prepare for an accelerated start to the proposal
- Prepare people to fulfill their roles in supporting the proposal
- Begin to set expectations for all stakeholders
The Readiness Review process provides an approach for ensuring that your goals are accomplished.
Achieving your pre RFP goals is what makes achieving your post RFP goals possible to achieve.
Many businesses struggle with finding out about opportunities before the RFP is released. Here are 11 ways to get ahead of the RFP. Doing so is not only critical for development an information advantage, it's also when you have the best chance to influence the RFP.
We recommend implementing Readiness Reviews to bring structure to the pre-RFP phase. Without this structure, too many businesses waste the time they have before RFP release and end up unprepared when the RFP hits the street.
Lead qualification is key aspect of the pre RFP process and built into the Readiness Reviews. Readiness Reviews also provide a means to achieving effective bid/no bid decisions.
Guidance for Pre-RFP Activities:
The MustWin process guides you through discovering what it will take to win and using that to drive your bid and proposal strategies.
Return to the Figuring Out What it Will Take to Win Starting Point.
Carl Dickson
Carl is the Founder and President of CapturePlanning.com and PropLIBRARY
Carl is an expert at winning in writing, with more than 30 year's experience. He's written multiple books and published over a thousand articles that have helped millions of people develop business and write better proposals. Carl is also a frequent speaker, trainer, and consultant and can be reached at carl.dickson@captureplanning.com. To find out more about him, you can also connect with Carl on LinkedIn.
