GEF-IWCAM Proposal Writing Training - Day 3 Presentation

Responding to RFPs—Writing

Effective Proposals

Day 3: RFP AnalysisDay 3: RFP Analysis

GEF-IWCAM Training Workshop

Responding to RFPs - Writing Effective Proposals

Prepared and Conducted by The Write Source, Inc.

Why is RFP Analysis So Important?

Because It’s the Minor Details that

Cause Problems—Details are Easy to Cause Problems—Details are Easy to

Overlook.

GEF-IWCAM Training Workshop Responding to RFPs - Writing Effective Proposals Prepared and Conducted by The Write Source, Inc.

2

Think of your proposal as holding up a

mirror to the RFP issuer—People like to

see what they are used to seeing—so

accommodate them! This is particularly

appropriate when you are formatting/ appropriate when you are formatting/

numbering or otherwise structuring your

proposal.


3

Simple Rules for Analysing RFPs


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The Rules

• Rule # 1: Those with the money make the rules

• Rule # 2: RFPs are often written by committee

• Rule # 3: People are not very good at stating things simply and

clearly

• Rule # 4: There are a lot of “bad” RFPs out there• Rule # 4: There are a lot of “bad” RFPs out there

• Rule # 5: RFPs may have conflicting or missing elements

• Rule # 6: Despite Rules 1-5 you must be in full compliance!


5

Types of RFPs

• Grants: Notices, summaries, RFPs, RFAs, solicitations

– Government, International, NGO, others

– University/educational entities

• Commercial/traditional RFPs

• Unsolicited• Unsolicited

• Common steps for each type


6

The First Steps

• Read thoroughly—several times

• Start listing requirements and source(s)

• Look for inconsistencies and unclear areas

• Start creating checklists• Start creating checklists

• Start creating question lists

• Apply the bid/no-bid decision tree

• Identify/allocate staff resources—create team


7

More First Steps

• Have several people go through every element of the

RFP:

– Cover letter

– Body of RFP

– SOW

– Attachments and boilerplate

– Items incorporated by reference

– Anything else


8

Strategies to Consider

• Put yourself in the RFP issuer’s place

• Remember it’s all about THEM

• Try to get into their heads:

– Figure out source of requirement/specification– Figure out source of requirement/specification

– Was the source another proposer/proposal?

• Consider who else may be proposing

• Ask questions of issuer, but do so with care


9

Handout #1: General RFP Analysis/

Proposal TipsProposal Tips


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Remember: “Know Your Audience”

• Do you REALLY know your audience—the evaluators?

• Ask the issuer who will review proposals

• Some audiences are not so obvious. Who is/are

YOUR audience(s)?YOUR audience(s)?

• Put yourself in their place—WHY is something a

requirement?

• Value their time and expertise


11

RFP/Proposal Guidelines

• Essential for bid/no-bid process

• Essential for completing/using RTM/RCM

• About the guidelines…


12

Proposal Guidelines

• Should be in RFP—one of the sections

• If not, get them from RFP issuer’s contact

• Read them very carefully—several times

• Make notes of deadlines/begin to make schedule• Make notes of deadlines/begin to make schedule

• Identify requirements to go in RTM/RCM

• If no style guidelines, mimic the RFP format, font,

style, and so forth


13

What’s in the RFP Guidelines?

• Deadlines

• Submission requirements

• Eligibility

• Proposal forms and formats

• Page count limits

• Budgets

• Funding goals/priorities

• Award ranges

• Evaluation criteria

• Evaluation process and • Page count limits

• Standard forms

• Timelines

• Evaluation process and

timeline

• Contact(s) and process

• Special restrictions

• Other key information


14

Use the RFP Guidelines to build a

checklist…

Handout #2: RFP Guidelines Handout #2: RFP Guidelines

Checklist


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Make the Bid/No-Bid Decision

• Apply your Bid/No Bid decision process before

identifying requirements in detail

• If the decision is to bid, then complete the first two

columns of the RTM/RCM

• Reassess your bid decision• Reassess your bid decision

• Bidding is expensive and time-consuming—example

• Applying to every potential funder is not a “win”

strategy


16

Create a “Win” Strategy

• Use Day 1’s Mission/Value Statement

• Have this ‘theme’ permeate the RFP analysis and

proposal

• Get everyone on the team to understand the strategy• Get everyone on the team to understand the strategy

• Apply in the areas you are most familiar with

• Make sure funder’s goals match yours


17

More on the “Win” Strategy

• Incorporate facts and figures—the quantitative

approach

• Avoid the “qualitative” approach

• Analyse the RFP and make a list of what it will take to • Analyse the RFP and make a list of what it will take to

win—then fold this into your “win” strategy

• It is critical that you identify your areas of weakness

and compensate for or mitigate them


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And Still More on the Strategy

• Develop an approach that ensures the best score against

evaluation criteria

• Use a theme that reflects strengths and the win strategy—

allocated across the proposal

• Identify processes that mitigate risk and assure a quality

project or viable outcomeproject or viable outcome

• Identify relevant past performance and references

• Create a reason for the evaluators to want to fund your

project

• Be 100% compliant


19

Final Strategy Elements

• When you start to write your proposal:– Get to the point quickly

– You do not HAVE to use the full page allotment

– Tell a story/use an example to liven up your proposal

– Help the issuer see your project as a solution– Help the issuer see your project as a solution

– Be honest—do not gloss over weaknesses

– Use checklists—the RFP issuer may or may not provide one

– Don’t tell the issuer its own history…


20

100% compliance and traceability

are at the heart of successful

proposal preparation—you’ve got

to make sure you address every

single requirement correctly, single requirement correctly,

completely, and in a timely

manner.


21

Ensure Traceability

• Have ALL team members go through RFP

• Identify ALL requirements, no matter how trivial or

“obvious”

• Create a table (matrix) that lists requirements

• Trace requirements to RFP paragraph(s) and proposal • Trace requirements to RFP paragraph(s) and proposal

paragraph(s)

• Create a numbering system from RFP

• Create a numbering system for RFP—if needed


22

Traceability and Compliance—the Keys

to Success

• Traceability entails creating a tracking system

for all requirements

• Compliance means addressing every stated

requirement in the RFP:requirement in the RFP:

– No more

– No less

– 100%


23

The RTM/RCM

• RTM = Requirement Compliance Matrix

• RCM = Requirements Traceability Matrix

• Two acronyms with essentially identical

meaningsmeanings


24

The Mechanics of Creating the

RTM/RCM

• Use the funder’s language:

– Cut and paste EXACT text into the matrix (col. #1)

– Use that language (and spelling) in your proposal

• Put the specific paragraph/bullet reference of the pasted text

in the matrix (col. #2)in the matrix (col. #2)

• Use the entries in the matrix and the RFP-specified proposal

format to create proposal outline


25

A Sample RTM/RCM

Requirement RFP

location

Proposal

Location

See Handout


26

Handout #3: Creating the

RTM/RCM

[Use your own Grant RFP or the [Use your own Grant RFP or the

sample in your packet]


27

Tying the RTM/RCM to the Proposal

• Tomorrow you’ll fill in the third column and actually write a

proposal

• Make sure to use exact language/terms in the RFP

• Number the requirements for ease of reference

• Add a 4th column for someone else to verify compliance• Add a 4th column for someone else to verify compliance

• The proposal outline is much similar when referenced to the

RTM/RCM


28

Before You Start to Write

• Complete the first two columns of the RTM/RCM

• Complete your Bid/No-Bid process

• Create a sufficiently detailed outline—tracking the

RTM/RCMRTM/RCM

• Fill in the third column of the RTM/RCM

• Develop a proposal preparation timeline


29

More Preparation

• Decide exactly what support you are seeking:

– Monetary

– In-kind

– Project– Project

– Training

– Staffing

– Other


30

Preparation—continued

• Determine the beneficiaries:

– Community

– General public

– Environment– Environment

– Agency/NGO/other organisation

– Wildlife/sea life

– Funder


31

Preparation—continued

• Define your project’s outcomes

– Specific and measurable—quantitative

– Decide how to explain/address in your proposal

– Make sure your budget will support the desired – Make sure your budget will support the desired

outcomes


32

Preparation—concluded

• Identify funding sources:

– “Right” funders

– Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—lots of money, but is it

“right” for your needs?

• Funder doesn’t have to fund anything (in most cases)• Funder doesn’t have to fund anything (in most cases)

• Funder gets lots of unsuitable proposals

• Identify internal funding sources/matches


33

The more you prepare the easier

the proposal will be to write and

the greater the likelihood of the greater the likelihood of

getting your funding.


34

Coping with a Poorly Written RFP

• RFPs are often inconsistent; sometimes worse

• Often written by several people

• Different contributors add conflicting requirements

• May use too much ‘boilerplate’ = Outdated • May use too much ‘boilerplate’ = Outdated

information or requirements

• Different understandings can lead to missing or

misstated requirements


35

More: Coping with Poorly Written RFPs

• Not intentionally “bad”…– Level of detail

– Contradictory requirements

– Poorly formatted/organized

– Missing elements (evaluation criteria, etc.)

– Inconsistent schedules– Inconsistent schedules

– Poor correlation between boilerplate, SOW, instructions, and

evaluation criteria

– Vague directions: format, weight, specifications, schedule


36

Handout #4: 10 Tips for Coping

with a Poorly Written RFPwith a Poorly Written RFP


37

Have you dealt with a confusing or

poorly written RFP? What did you

do to resolve issues and questions?


38

Why Do Proposals Lose?• One or more requirements were omitted or overlooked:

– Requirements “hide” in strange places

– Different contributors will see different requirements

– People assume a requirement is “understood”: Office

• Requirements were not addressed properly

• Requirements were not addressed completely

• You forgot to KISS

• You applied to an inappropriate funder/RFP

• You were LATE


39

The Elements of Winning Proposals

• The winning proposal will:

– Address every requirement, no matter how minor

– Follow the RFP-issuer’s instructions to the letter

– Create, and use, an outline– Create, and use, an outline

– Create, and use, appropriate matrixes/tables

– Be well-written, grammatically correct, organized,

and concise


40

More Elements of Winning Proposals

• Winning proposals:

– Provide a “best value” approach

– Adhere to the funder’s scope, goals, funding ranges,

timeframes, etc.

– Have a clearly identified ‘community’ or beneficiary—that – Have a clearly identified ‘community’ or beneficiary—that

tracks the funder’s mission

– Have a clearly defined “win” strategy

– Include all required financial and other data

– Use a bid/no bid decision-making process


41

Ways to “Do Better Next Time”

• Perform a “post-mortem” on winning and losing

proposals

• Get and study copies of winning proposals

• Get and study copies of losing proposals• Get and study copies of losing proposals

• Become very familiar with the funder:

– Reviewers

– Goals/objectives

– Past projects (funded)


42

Value of a Semi-Standarised Proposal

Format

• Specific examples tomorrow

• Much of the information is standard

• Ties to style guide:

– Set header numbering and font– Set header numbering and font

– Set document format (margins, indents, bullets)

– Set tone, voice, person, passive/active, and so forth

• Ensure consistent use of historical information


43

Building Relationships and Getting

Funding—A Key Element of the

RFP Analysis Process.RFP Analysis Process.


44

Building Relationships

• Need to have/know the ‘right’ contacts

• Build a contact database and keep it updated

• Funder’s contacts WANT to talk with you

• Ask for samples of winning proposals and ongoing

documentation:documentation:

– Annual reports

– Progress reports

• Ask for examples of losing proposals


45

Know the Funder’s Objectives

• GEF/SGP Example:– Funding under four circumstances:

• Collaboration with an on-going large or medium-sized GEF project

• Guided by the priorities and institutional structures laid out in

TDAs and SAPs produced by completed GEF projects

• Collaboration with well-established multi-country regional •

agreements with specific plans of action

• In absence of TDAs/SAPs primary threat to a transboundary

waterbody has been clearly substantiated


46

Learn the Funder’s Procedures

• Ask if technical assistance is available

• Find out if there is a pre-proposal form or process

• Ask if the funder will review a draft proposal

• Ask how proposals are reviewed• Ask how proposals are reviewed

• Ask how proposals are scored

• Ask what supporting materials are needed


47

More on Funder’s Objectives

• Every potential funder has a definite mission

and areas of interest

• Get examples of past grants and go through

them to see what was fundedthem to see what was funded

• Look at Handout #5: Sample Completed Grant

Proposal


48

Getting Funding


49

You will almost always have to provide a

significant amount of the funding through your

own resources AND deliver ‘value’ at the end.

Grants are not ‘free’ money. Your share of the

funding may be monetary or ‘in-kind’ or both. It

may not make sense to get funding if you do not

have the capacity to execute a project. It could

harm your chances for funding in the future.

Note what the RFP issuer expects.


50

Learn the Budgetary Process

• Every RFP issuer is different:

– Some require matching funds

– Some require in-kind funds

– Some require both matching and in-kind funds

– Some fund 100%– Some fund 100%

– Some don’t want to be one of several funders—some do

– Many limit the duration of the funding

– Many limit what funds may be used for


51

More on the Budgetary Process

• Make sure you know how and when payments are

made:

– RFP should indicate

– Payments may be quite slow and late– Payments may be quite slow and late

• You may have to document cash flow as part of the

proposal

• Funders rarely want to be your only, or main, source

of funds


52

Questions and Answers


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GEF-IWCAM Proposal Writing Training - Day 3 Presentation

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