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We have covered some of the project-specific concepts and issues in the last few entries. Now let’s get on to a topic of broad interest – the Art of the RFP.

My view on the Request For Proposal (RFP) in an IT setting is a bit different than most: I’m not focused on collecting all available information on product features and capabilities to make a comparison – I have a different agenda.

I suggest that Project Manager’s goal in crafting and distributing a Request For Proposal (RFP) is three fold: First, to disqualify Vendors who will not be finalists as quickly as possible; Second, to communicate as much as possible to the Vendors what the important issues are in my Project; Third, to encourage the Vendors to make a substantial effort to win the business.

Let’s look at goals one and two:

First – elimination of Vendors who are not competitive. An effective way to do this is to insist on several customer references that are in industries and situations very close to your own. Unlike Function/Feature comparisons, this is not a matter of debate – either the Vendor can provide references in your industry/sector, or they can’t.

But, you say, you can very easily miss the best candidates that way. Well, maybe. It might be that you happen to be the first opportunity by a vendor of a mature product in a specific industry segment.

More likely, there is a reason why the Vendor has no references in your sector – they are not competitive for some reason. Or the product is not mature. In any case, your risk increases. Do you want to be the first? I have been the first, and it is almost as painful and risky as writing your own – but more of that next week.

Second – Communicate to the Vendors what is important/unique in your situation. This is the flip-side of collecting the information needed to make a decision. My thesis is that it is the Vendors who are the experts on the product space. You are the expert on your operational situation.

Give the Vendors the information they need to sell their strengths into your situation. Their sales people get the big money to make a persuasive case that their product is the best choice – give them the information they need to make that sale by telling them what is important to you.

This is different than the “just the facts Ma’am” approach with Vendors, where you keep your cards close to your chest, and don’t tell them what the real issues are. Project Managers do this, I guess, because they don’t want the Vendor tailoring the pitch to conceal weaknesses, and make the product look like a good fit.

The close approach leads to flailing about on the part of the Vendors, trying to find your hot buttons, which wastes valuable project and process time. Time is a factor in every project, and efficient communication about what is important will move things ahead most quickly in the right direction.

Absent information about your needs, vendors will sell to their strengths. This is good in the early going, where you are trying to understand the competitive landscape. It is a good strategy in the RFI stage (see Request Information to Get an Education from last week), but as you focus on your finalists, you want to talk about your issues, not their strengths. So, I recommend opening the Kimono, and asking for what you need (metaphorically speaking…).