Decisions, Decisions: How to Choose Which Request for Proposal (RFP) to Pursue
“Our danger is not too few, but too many options.” – Sir Richard Livingstone
Livingstone may not have been referring to the seemingly endless number of e-mails collecting in your Inbox, but he did recognize that we face multiple difficult decisions each day—and those who work in a legal environment are no different. Often, leaders in a firm must decide whether or not to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by a client or prospective client. The problem is how do you sift through the sea of proposals? One way to start is to develop a “go/no go” process to evaluate each RFP and determine which to approach. After all, you cannot do them all!
Start your RFP decision-making process by asking yourself and your colleagues a few questions:
- How was the invitation list determined? Find out if your inclusion in receiving the RFP was intentional (based on your past attorney marketing efforts) or if you were one of many firms in the area who received it.
- Who are the preparers and reviewers? Determine if the person who issued the RFP is the actual buyer or is just assisting in the process. Also determine who is on the interview team, and ask if you can contact them prior to the interview. This will give you the chance to build a relationship with the people involved in all aspects of the RFP process and will create a more informal environment for conversation.
- Is the company now using RFPs for all legal work, or just specialties? Any insight you can find out in this area will help you predict future processes and will give you the chance to develop some rapport with the company.
- Does the client require a formal response in a section-by-section approach? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to make sure you add an introductory sentence to each section highlighting your firm’s ability to meet the client’s specific needs.
Once you’ve addressed these questions, you’ll be able to form a more educated opinion on whether or not to respond to the RFP. If you decide not to proceed, inform the issuer in writing that you are not responding, wish them the best and tell them you look forward to working with them in the future. Then check your email for the next batch of RFPs to come through, and repeat the process again!
