Demystifying RFI’s, RFP’s and Proposals to Win Business

Demystifying Demystifying RFI’s, RFP’s and RFI’s, RFP’s and Proposals to Win Proposals to Win

BusinessBusiness

Moderated ByModerated By

Robert Sivek CSEP, CERPRobert Sivek CSEP, CERP

COOCOO

The Meetinghouse CompaniesThe Meetinghouse Companies

Demystifying RFI’s, RFP’s and Demystifying RFI’s, RFP’s and Proposals to Win BusinessProposals to Win Business

Panel of ExpertsPanel of Experts

Katie EllisKatie Ellis

Director of MarketingDirector of Marketing

Event ArchitectsEvent Architects



Susan Katz Susan Katz

Director Corporate Events and TravelDirector Corporate Events and Travel

True Value CompanyTrue Value Company



Andrew Schorr PresidentAndrew Schorr President

In The Loop-ChicagoIn The Loop-Chicago


The RFIThe RFI

A RFI:A RFI:

RRequest equest FFor or IInformation is a nformation is a process whose purpose is to process whose purpose is to collect written information about collect written information about the capabilities of various the capabilities of various suppliers.suppliers.

What Is…What Is…

A RFP:A RFP:

RRequest equest FFor or PProposal is a stage roposal is a stage in procurement distributing an in procurement distributing an invitation for suppliers, often invitation for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. commodity or service.

What Is…What Is…

How often and when do you How often and when do you distribute a RFI?distribute a RFI?

At what stage in your planning is At what stage in your planning is it distributed?it distributed?

What information are you What information are you seeking?seeking?

Do you use a template when Do you use a template when distributing a RFI?distributing a RFI?

RFI’s – A Buyer’s PerspectiveRFI’s – A Buyer’s Perspective

What are the key pieces of What are the key pieces of information you need?information you need?

How critical is the information you How critical is the information you receive in making your decision? receive in making your decision?

With the internet, are RFI’s still With the internet, are RFI’s still necessary?necessary?

RFI’s – A Buyers PerspectiveRFI’s – A Buyers Perspective

How often do you receive RFI’s?How often do you receive RFI’s? What are some of the standard What are some of the standard

questions you receive? questions you receive? Do you respond to RFI’s or send Do you respond to RFI’s or send

clients to your website instead?clients to your website instead?

RFI’s – A Supplier’s PerspectiveRFI’s – A Supplier’s Perspective

What do you add to make your What do you add to make your company stand out?company stand out?

Have you found that responding Have you found that responding to RFI’s increases your chances to RFI’s increases your chances in winning business?in winning business?

RFI’s – A Supplier’s PerspectiveRFI’s – A Supplier’s Perspective

The RFPThe RFP

When distributing a RFP, what When distributing a RFP, what information do you provide?information do you provide?

Do you provide specifics or just Do you provide specifics or just general details?general details?

How much if at all does How much if at all does procurement play a role in the procurement play a role in the RFP process?RFP process?

Do you encourage contacting Do you encourage contacting previous suppliers?previous suppliers?

RFP - BuyerRFP - Buyer

What are some of the common What are some of the common mistakes a Supplier can make mistakes a Supplier can make when responding to a RFP?when responding to a RFP?

Do you submit an “apples to Do you submit an “apples to apples” template to be used for apples” template to be used for evaluations?evaluations?

Does your company have a Does your company have a three bid requirement?three bid requirement?

RFP - BuyerRFP - Buyer

What information would you like What information would you like to see in a RFP that you currently to see in a RFP that you currently don’t see?don’t see?

What are some of the common What are some of the common mistakes a Buyer can make when mistakes a Buyer can make when submitting a RFP?submitting a RFP?

RFP - SupplierRFP - Supplier

How do you ask if the Buyer is How do you ask if the Buyer is obligated to request 3 bids even obligated to request 3 bids even if they know they cannot use if they know they cannot use you?you?

How often have you had to bid How often have you had to bid on a piece of business for a on a piece of business for a long time existing client?long time existing client?

RFP - SupplierRFP - Supplier

Buyer / SupplierBuyer / Supplier What are the key elements What are the key elements

needed in creating a winning needed in creating a winning bid?bid?

RESPONDING TO A RFPRESPONDING TO A RFP

What format do you use in What format do you use in creating a winning bid? creating a winning bid? Word DocumentWord Document Power PointPower Point Story BoardsStory Boards

RESPONDING TO A RFPRESPONDING TO A RFPSupplierSupplier

How creative do you get? Descriptive paragraphs, renderings, photos…etc.How much lead time do you need for a standard proposal? How much lead time do you typically get?How much does the lead time effect your creativity?

SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL

What is your #1 frustration when What is your #1 frustration when receiving a proposal?receiving a proposal?

What does the supplier have to What does the supplier have to do to set them apart?do to set them apart?

RECEIVING THE PROPOSALRECEIVING THE PROPOSAL

What are the reasons you may What are the reasons you may not select a company?not select a company?

How much is the creativity necessary? Are you just looking at the bottom line?

EVALUATING THE PROPOSALEVALUATING THE PROPOSAL

Do you allow in person Do you allow in person presentations? Why or why presentations? Why or why not?not?

How much follow up after a How much follow up after a proposal has been sent is proposal has been sent is expected? How much is too expected? How much is too much?much?

EVALUATING THE PROPOSALEVALUATING THE PROPOSAL

Do you share information from one bidding company to another?Do you rebid based on best ideas?Do you Respond to unsuccessful Buyers?Do you rebid with winning Buyer based on information gained in the process?

ETHICS - Buyer

How do you protect your intellectual property?What else do you expect the Buyer to do or not do?

ETHICS - Supplier

Can RFI’s and RFP’s be used as a negotiating tactic?How much is negotiable?When do you walk away?

Some Random ThoughtsSome Random Thoughts

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Documents

Demystifying RFI’s, RFP’s and Proposals to Win Business