In the rare moments I respond to an RFP, I mostly treat it like any other project.
Of course you need to make sure you respond to the requirements set in the RFP. So if they ask for your team’s profiles, be sure to include them.
However once those requirements are met, treat everything else like a regular project. This means
- Offering three project options at various price points
- Offering a guarantee
- Including a section for risks and assumptions
- Keeping the response to as few pages as possible
These sections always appear in non-RFP proposals, and they are also included in RFP proposals.
I would bet most vendors only offer a single option. However three options are dramatically better, as it no longer is a “take it or leave it” situation. Instead, the client can decide HOW they want to work with you, not IF they want to work with you.
The takeaway
Your response to an RFP doesn’t need to be dramatically different from any other proposal. Stick to your established approach as closely as possible.