FEDERAL
SECTOR REPORT
November 1997
(c) P2C2 Group,
Inc.
Proposal SNAFUs that Persist
Based on Experience with Multiple Contractors
Repeated Proposal
Mistakes ... and Remedies
Late FOIA
Requests. FOIAs should be initiated when the procurement is
first targeted (based on the agency’s annual procurement plan) so that
there will be enough time to make the Freedom of Information Act
process effective ... rather than after the RFP is announced.
A Weak Resume
that Is Not Fully Responsive to the Evaluation Criteria.
Requirements for key personnel and resumes should be
documented immediately upon receiving the RFP ... so that recruiting
can commence at once for any critical positions that cannot be filled
internally.
Fuzzy
Documentation of Past Performance. On
an ongoing basis, the contractor should be recording the quality of
contract
performance (capturing both quantitative and descriptive data) so that
past performance sections of proposals can be based on detailed,
well-documented
information.
Misunderstanding
of the Prospective Customer's Needs and
Environment. Technical specialists
who write an assigned segment of the proposal need a brief
overview
of the client's environment and the company's overall solution, in addition to storyboard
data,
so that they can present a methodology/procedure that is truly
appropriate
and responsive to the prospective customer's
needs and environment.
Deficient
Draft Documents. Technical writers
and subject matter specialists need immediate feedback so they can fix
deficiencies before the draft is submitted to the Red Team.
Mismatch
between Technical Solution and Pricing. Technical managers and
pricing analysts need to begin working together
early in the proposal cycle to make certain that there is a match
between
the proposal's technical solution and a
winning
price solution. A collaborative cost model using spreadsheets will help.
Ineffective
Use of Red Teams. The quality and completeness of the draft
proposal is important: The purpose of the red
team should be to sharpen the proposal, bringing it from 90% to 100%
... not to diagnose a basket case proposal that merits a 50%.
What We Can Do to Avoid or Minimize Problems
in the Future
Company
Officers/Executives: Institutionalize best
practices for proposals
on a division-wide or company-wide basis, incorporating the procedures
and standards that help us to win. "Best practices" will often mean
keeping
the rules clear and simple ... so busy people focus on the most
important
actions for winning the proposal competition.
Proposal
Managers: Identify and acknowledge
past problems, develop pro-active solutions, gain the support of
management
and proposal team members, and work cooperatively with other
stakeholders
to avoid the problems.
Editors:
Find creative ways to reward the support
of writers, program managers, and capture managers. To illustrate,
establish
the "Pulitzer Prize for Proposals," giving recognition to technical personnel who
write
outstanding material which (1) contributes to contract award, (2) is
an example of clear and effective writing, and (3) demonstrates how to
present complex or difficult proposal information. Develop a notebook
of award-winning samples and use it for
training
or advising technical personnel about how to write proposals.
Everyone:
Give everyone ... from photocopy clerk
to vice president ... a chance to make suggestions for improving your
company's approach to proposals. Do this while
the
proposal is under development so you can incorporate enhancements, as
well as during a post-proposal debriefing.
