Proposals and Bids

When pursuing government projects, you need to weigh your options carefully before you begin writing a response for an RFP. If part of the contract doesn’t match your company’s best interests or you can’t deliver on all the requirements, the smartest move may be to concentrate your resources elsewhere. So what types of questions should you ask yourself when deciding on writing a response for an RFP?

After you’ve obtained a copy of a request for proposals (RFP) or invitation for bids (IFB), you’ll need every day before the deadline to prepare your proposal.

Start by dissecting the RFP or IFB, perhaps with the help of a few other staff members. Review your company’s past proposal examples. Make sure this is really a government contract that your company can fulfill and would benefit from winning.

Responding to a government RFP can be time-consuming and intimidating, but you can lessen the stress if you carefully prepare for the proposal-writing process. Here are some steps to help you put together a winning proposal:

Do you know the difference between an IFB, RFP and RFQ? Each is a type of government solicitation, but they differ significantly in what's requested and required of you:

Invitation for Bid (IFB)

This competitive method of awarding government contracts is used for procurements of more than $100,000 in value. The agency knows exactly what and how many of everything it needs in the contract, as well as when and how the products and services are to be delivered. The award is generally based on price.

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

I frequently get calls from contractors who are interested in working with the government but don't know where to start.  Many contractors worry that their lack of experience with government contracts could keep them from ever being awarded public-sector work. It's true that performance on past government projects is often considered in a contract award, but an RFP response from a company with no prior government experience won't necessarily be disqualified as long as the company can demonstrate relevant experience in the private sector.

Before you begin to tackle government bids, you must understand the procurement process. Every city, county and state buys a bit differently, which complicates life for vendors. However, because most local governments model their procedures, rules and regulations after those of the federal government, a review of the federal procurement process should bring you up to speed.

Here are two of the most basic procurement methods: sealed bids and proposals.

Government contractors often underestimate the process involved with submitting Invitations for Bid (IFB) proposals. Although you don't have to put together all of your own documents for your IFB submission, you will still need to approach the proposal carefully, much as you would with an RFP.

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

Your company may boast the highest-quality product in your industry, but if you submit a substandard or poorly targeted proposal, you've just undermined that product and likely will not get the award. Here are 10 common pitfalls to avoid when writing and submitting government bids and proposals:

1. Using complex language. Keep your proposal simple to read and follow. Use clear, concise, easy-to understanding wording and avoid long-winded sentences and paragraphs.

By Irv Alpert
Executive Vice President, Onvia, Inc.

The hardest part about competing in the government-contracting marketplace is uncovering business intelligence. In particular, you'll find that you won't be able to easily locate and acquire vendors' winning proposals. If you want to write your way to more contract awards, reviewing proposals that won contracts can work as your road map. A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request is one way you can access these proposals.

A government proposal in response to an RFP is a very important part of the process it takes to win government contracts. Even if you are a subcontractor, you will still need to know the strategy behind a winning government proposal. Think of it as a written presentation. It needs to lay out why your company is the most qualified company for the job and how you beat the competition. Ultimately, it’s going to be your key to winning more government work for your subcontracting business.