What Values Does Your RPF Process Telegraph? Why We Don’t Respond to RFPs
By Michelle Malay Carter on February 17, 2008
I had the unique opportunity to offer feedback to an organization who sent us an RFP after reading one of my articles.? The organization specifically asks consultants who decline to submit an RFP why they are choosing not to submit a proposal.
I’ve said before that? despite what is written in the organization’s annual report, organizational systems and processes telegraph the values the organization actually “lives”.
I Found a Match!? Espoused Values = Values Experienced
After viewing their website, I discovered one of the leadership values of this organization is to listen humbly.? I was pleased to find this value embedded in the organization’s RFP process.? Overall, this is one of the more open and reasonable RFPs I have seen.
We generally don’t respond to RFPs for some key reasons.? For those of you involved in the RFP process, take heed.?
Be Careful What You Ask For
I understand that RFPs can be a necessary part of organizational life.? However, from a consultant’s perspective,?RFPs frequently deny us the opportunity to offer our greatest gift ? expert organizational analysis via a unique lens.?? Is that not why organization’s seek consultants – for a unique perspective?
Unfortunately, RPFs, by their very nature, require an organization to have already done their own analysis through their own lens which often leads them to frame the project much differently than we would.
Remember – attempting to take the safe route is NOT always risk free.? It may mean passing on a plate full of potential for a portion of good enough.
Faulty Diagnosis Ensures Misdirected Time, Money, and Energy
Our expertise is helping clients recognize and correct core structural design flaws within their organization which impede their productivity and effectiveness.? Many RFP are designed to address the symptoms of these design flaws which, when addressed, produce short term gains at best.
We want more for our clients and can deliver it.? You get what you ask for, but how do you know you are asking for the right things?
Personal Observation
Over the years I have found that there is an inverse relationship between the length and depth of written information required in a proposal for work and the likelihood that we will actually be awarded the work.
I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.? What has your experience been with RFPs?
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Organization Design, Personal Observation, Strategy
Comments
5 Responses to “What Values Does Your RPF Process Telegraph? Why We Don’t Respond to RFPs”
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I can’t agree MORE… it’s hard to see the forest of your making (organizationally or problematically speaking), when your nose is firmly pressed up against the tree whose seeds have been sown for years. Often, RFP’s are issued to ‘confirm’ problems that exist, and champion solutions that have already been visioned by the RFP’s author/sponsor.
Several of the most successful RFP responses I’ve been involved with were ones in which we were technically ‘unresponsive’. Meaning, we proposed a course of action, that was NOT what they asked for, but was designed to get at the core issues that they faced.
Responding to RFPs is can be a huge time sink, and the rewards of winning can be meager at times. It’s important, to pick your ‘battles’ so to speak, and go where your skills, and abilities can truely add value, and that ‘new lens’ that is needed.
I could not agree more about the inverse relationship and the frustrations of pigeonholing.
My husband and I both have companies in the capital of our state. So, we do many RFPs for state government. We are at a point now where we only do them if we know someone on the “inside” and have a good relationship with that person.
Personally, I’m fairly suspicious of RFPs, which often seem to be written with a particular vendor in mind. This suspicion is deepened when my husband is asked to help help tailor an RFP so that his company will get it. Funny thing is, one reason for RFPs is to prevent favoritism, right?
Additionally, many RFPs do not have a way to show a client what my firm could do for them. Sure, I can usually send samples of past work, but that work may have no relationship to what this client needs. There is often no clear statement of the underlying issues the client wants to solve, or a chance to brainstorm the best approach.
So, I must commit to a price, a timeline and a course of action before the needs assessment begins. It is out of order and frustrating.
I look forward to hearing how to fix this one.
h
Gene and Heidi,
Thanks for stopping by. Again, I think we are suffering at the hands of a reactionary process set up to compensate for poor systems – another toast scraping method. Wouldn’t it be great if we could fix the toaster?
Michelle
Pick and choose your battles. Some organizations want your expertise, other organizations want you to complete the work as described. Not every RFP that you are qualified to bid on is the right RFP for you to respond to, the trick is never feeling like you don’t have enough RFPs to bid on and being selective about the ones you spend the time crafting your proposal. Being selective allows you to truly shine on those that you really feel good about and to show them why you are the best candidate. I think the people that really grip and get frustrated with the RFP process are those that try to respond to any RFP that they’ve come across that they might have a chance at winning, then get discouraged when they lose. My advice is always the same: go to the RFP Database at http://www.rfpdb.com and trade in the RFPs that you don’t feel good about for RFPs that you do!
David,
Thanks for the comment. Good advice and great idea putting an RFP database together.
Michelle