In business, RFPs are a standard tool in the purchasing toolkit, but many would-be businesses don’t have much experience with issuing RFPs. The result? You may end up with products and services from unqualified vendors that don’t meet your needs.
With a well-written RFP, a business can shorten the purchasing cycle, eliminate unqualified vendors and produce accurate purchase specifications that truly describe your needs.
Why bother with issuing RFPs?
Businesses turn to RFP writing to assist with:
- Volume purchasing
- Competitive bidding requirements
- The selection of service providers
- Commodity purchasing where price is the primary consideration
- High-dollar purchases
- High-risk purchases
Issuing RFPs (including product and/or service specification) can be a time-consuming process. An experienced RFP writer can simplify purchase planning and the purchasing process, discover business requirements, create a compelling document that encourages potential providers to respond, help qualify vendors, and a create transparent, defensible evaluation and decision-making process.
For vendors, responding to RFPs is risky; many highly qualified vendors are reluctant to respond to RFPs. This puts buyers at a disadvantage when it comes to finding those preferred vendors. A well-written RFP can reduce risk for the vendor by helping them to identify desirable opportunities early in the RFP process.
I have more than 10 years’ experience in RFP writing for both products and services, as well as creating response evaluation tools. I follow a well-organized process for developing and issuing RFPs that captures:
- Comprehensive product and service specifications
- Concise terms and conditions
- Complete response requirements
- Compelling reasons to respond to the buyer’s RFP
In addition, my RFPs are designed to support the buyer by:
- Determining a potential vendor’s experience, qualifications and financial stability
- Demonstrating a potential vendor’s required licensing and insurance coverage
- Developing useful references from among buyers who have already conducted business with the vendor
If you would like more information about how I can help you with issuing RFPs, or are considering issuing RFPs and would like to arrange a consultation, please contact Eileen by email or by phone at (734) 961-0408.
Photo Credit: David Ritter, via FreeImages.com