RFPs have lately brought about a lot of discussion, mostly
criticism actually. Do we want to respond to them? Do we not want to respond to
them? What if we respond to them, and they do nothing more than cost us a lot
of money with no positive results?
Proposals are getting way more expensive to produce for
those of us who want to stay in the game. No longer a wordy “paint me a
picture” descriptive, but rather detailed information and financial statements,
pages and pages of qualifications, and more.
Never being lost for an opinion, here’s mine, and I welcome
yours.
Let’s teach our clients how to design an RFP, because they
are pretty “iffy” right now. Here’s what I think we should require:
1. Name the client (specifically)... not only the company name but the specific division (or product).
2. Don't give me pages of information about the product. I have to assume that if I'm qualified to respond to an RFP I am intelligent enought to do homework on the company, the brand, and the product that has been revealed.
3.Do give me your objective for the activity.
4. Let me know how many companies will be receiving the RFP (if more than three, I'll probably decline) and let me know why you contacted me (the source of referral).
5. If there are any reasons, geographic or otherwise, that can be defined that would eliminate me from consideration (the prospect client only hires local companies), I want to know.
6. Define payment terms clearly... I won't bid on a job of a million dollars if you pay 120 days net.
7. Let me know any other financial information before I decide to accept the RFP... i.e. "We only pay $15 per diem in Napa."
8. Give me some history if this is a legacy event, provide photos, film, anything that is helpful. If you want examples of similar events, then be specific about your event so I can be "similar".
9. Tell me who the decision makers(s) is/are.
10. Tell me the specifics of how you'll base your decision; qualifications? Budget? Creativity?
11. Give me a budget, a true budget, not a "don't want to stifle your creativity" budget.
12. Give me the name of a real person with whom I can talk. I do not want to respond to an RFP and never be able to visit in person (or minimally reach on the phone).
13. If you give me an opportunity to ask questions, then answer them privately and not in a group email. Maybe I've asked some that a competitor would not have thought of.
14. Make the RFP short and to the point. Send it only to companies that you have pre-qualified.
I’m quite sure that you, readers, can add substantially to
this list, and I invite you to do so. If we are unhappy with the RFP process,
and we all seem to be, then let’s educate our clients on how to make them more
productive. And clients, if you are reading, then don’t send out a blanket RFP
that has been used for another event, asking for information that you don’t
need or won’t read. Our time is just as valuable as yours; our money is
probably more valuable as you are not spending it putting together an RFP
response, and we are. So look at it this way, client, if you ask 20 companies
to prepare a bid that requires them to spend $10,000 in time and expenses, and
you are only considering three as viable options, then you have wasted $10,000
each for 17 companies who can ill afford it.
We are no longer in a day and age where we can spend either
time or money needlessly, so let’s join together (client and supplier) and come
up with a way to streamline this process. Let’s stop complaining and let’s
start changing.
Andrea Michaels is the founder and president of Extraordinary Events, a Los Angeles-based, international event agency, and the author of Reflections of a Successful Wallflower: Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life. Andrea may be contacted via amichaels@extraordinaryevents.com
Andrea Michaels is the founder and president of Extraordinary Events, a Los Angeles-based, international event agency, and the author of Reflections of a Successful Wallflower: Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life. Andrea may be contacted via amichaels@extraordinaryevents.com
