Two groups need to choose the best proposal ideas: those who respond to the proposal and those who judge the submitted proposals. To come up with the best proposal ideas, research the company, read the proposal carefully, identify areas where more information is needed, and make a timeline. When judging proposals, look for a good match for the company’s mission and culture, nuanced understanding of the proposal, and ownership of the proposal.
Once a request for proposal (RFP) is created, there are two different groups of people who need to choose the best proposal ideas. The first group are the people who will respond to the proposal. They want to pick the best proposal ideas to win the contract. The second group are the people who will judge the submitted proposals. They want to choose the proposal idea that best meets their needs.
If you’re in the former group, there are several things you can do to come up with the proposal ideas that best suit you and the request. First, without crossing any lines, you’ll want to find out as much as possible about the company that submitted the RFP. How is their brand? What kind of corporate feeling are they looking to create? Is their advertising informative, thoughtful, humorous, innovative, etc.?
Second, read the proposal several times. Chat with your team members if you’re working in a group. Make photocopies and mark it. Look for one that is explicitly and implicitly focused on the most important aspects of the proposal. Do you have a consistent picture of what is desired? How can you or your company, given your personality, meet this need?
Third, identify areas where you may be asked to go beyond what is stated. Think about what directions you can take in areas with open parameters. Fourth, identify areas where you need more information or a deeper understanding to craft a really good proposal. Fifth, considering what you’ve learned so far, identify what needs to go into the proposal, make a timeline, and start assigning the work, or if that’s you, the work. Be prepared to revisit elements based on new understandings that emerge as you formulate your response.
If you’re in the second group and you’ve written your proposal carefully, it should be easy as a first step to sort out those that meet the criteria listed in the proposal and those that clearly don’t. When you focus on the proposals most likely to win the contract, look first for those that are a good match for the company’s mission and culture. Second, look for proposal ideas that show a nuanced understanding of the broader field and specific area of the proposal. Third, if appropriate to your field, look for proposals that, while meeting your criteria, take ownership of the proposal in such a way that even the proposal writers see it with new eyes and new ideas.
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