OUanRFP FAQs Series: “So, what do you actually do?”
For many professionals, the vast world of bidding and procurement is entirely uncharted. Therefore, it makes sense that not everyone has heard of what we actually do here at Once Upon an RFP. We like to say we’re the partner you never knew you needed! In this blog, we’ve taken the time to list and answer three questions we frequently receive and give you a taste of what we offer and how our services benefit clients big and small.
“What is an RFP?”
This is the question we get the most. But the answer is multi-layered and can be pretty complicated.
“RFP” stands for “Request for Proposal,” but in the bid and proposal industry, the term RFP is often used as a blanket term for any formal bidding document. We also use the term “RFx” to describe a variety of unspecified bid documents, but no matter the opportunity, the concept remains the same.
For example, a government, corporation, or other entity (the “Buyer”) releases a bid document announcing they want to purchase a series of products or services. The bid document outlines requirements, specifications, desires, budget, contract terms, and the method required to formally bid on the opportunity. Interested businesses then submit formal responses to the original bid request, giving the Buyer a clear outline of their offering and why the Buyer should choose their company over the competition.
Then, the Buyer can look over every bid response and give a fair assessment of which company will best suit their needs. From this, the Buyer can make an informed decision about where and how to spend their money.
“Oh, so Once Upon an RFP writes the RFPs?”
No, not necessarily.
An RFx document is a “Request” for formal responses in the form of bids, proposals, expressions of interest, quotes, or some combination. The request (e.g., the RFP) will specify how to format and deliver the response along with most or all of the requirements listed in the previous section of this blog.
Once Upon an RFP is comprised of talented proposal professionals ranging from program managers, proposal writers, editors, business consultants, and salespeople. Each member of the OUanRFP team is committed to implementing proposal best practices and tailoring content to fit both the client and the opportunity.
Sometimes, based on prior wins or lessons learned, our clients enlist our support in drafting sample RFx documents that they then provide to prospective clients. This process gives the prospective client a head start in developing required formal bidding documents and can strengthen our client’s future response in return.
Our service offerings are heavily based on the desire to help other businesses win business and grow their impact. So, while we can assist procurement departments with drafting their next RFx document, we specialize in crafting stellar responses to existing bid opportunities.
“How do your clients come into play?”
Though Once Upon an RFP does respond to RFPs seeking our services, we most often respond to opportunities alongside and on behalf of clients. RFPs are usually long, boring documents full of industry jargon, confusing requirements, and countless hoops to jump through. In other words, most people don’t find responding to proposals very enthralling. That’s where we come in.
Think of us as ghostwriters; we’re here to work behind the scenes to help our clients create compliant and responsive proposals while maintaining a robust and centralized voice. In short, we take our clients’ words and make them the best they can be so that our clients can focus on other responsibilities. This might include adapting current copy to best reflect our client’s mission and vision, generating brand new copy based on brainstorming sessions, or even just beginning with strategizing about presenting the information.
We combine marketing, sales, business development, and writing best practices to provide required bid information in a powerful and engaging package.
Interested in what else we can do to support your business development efforts? Reach out today for a free consultation.