Requests for Proposals (RFP): Creating, Managing and Surviving the Process

Daphne J. Meyers, CMM

Today’s Presenter Daphne J. Meyers, CMM

Managing Partner, Red Barn Group Strategic Event Consultant Adjunct Instructor, Minnesota State University - Moorhead

Recovering Corporate Planner (Microsoft) Meeting Professionals International

Minnesota Chapter –Vice President of Leadership Development

Platinum Series Speaker Certified Global Trainer and Senior Cadre Member

Flow for today First half (until 2:45pm)

RFP Process from the ASK to the ANSWER Second half (3:00pm – 4:30pm)

Panel discussion Q&A

What if…

Today Learn key elements to include in all RFP’s

in both the request and the response Understand the importance of the RFP

process in the overall success of business partnerships

List of resources to improve your RFP process

Your experiences? most pleasant least pleasant craziest?

It starts where it starts… relationship planning process success or failure

Suggestions on where to start review past events with team

what worked? what hurt? what can never happen again? where did we get surprised?

review post event reports and evaluations ask “like” organizations what they put in

their RFP’s and their process

Gold Standardhttp://conventionindustry.org/apex/Panels/RFPs.htm

Service Contractor Single Facility Audiovisual Destination Management Transportation

THE ASK

Building the RFP info about group/meeting needs/

demographics/history philosophy of meeting/organization

goals and objectives stakeholders why are you having meeting?

specifications on what is needed – (details! details! details!)

Building the RFP deal breakers requirements of requesting organization

special stuff and clauses (competitors, legal stuff the lawyers say, construction, noise, attrition, special concessions, green, risk)

requirements of responding organization insurance/financial referrals/references

Building the RFP information on organization(s)

annual report past materials

information on past service providers direct to service being requested provided by others in past

Building the RFP budget process

who owns? who pays? what is determined by who?

Process SHARE this in RFP

how many respondents and who? timing, decision timeline (by who), how

decision will be made factors and ratings system that will be used

(experience, cost) submission guidelines (how accepted)

steps to decision after RFP’s are received

Please (with sugar on top) DON’T! ask for intellectual property expect to get ideas at the RFP level

THE ANSWER

Responding to RFP do your homework

work your networks (past vendors, employees, other suppliers)

ask lots of questions to make sure you have all information needed to respond

determine if you can make suggestions for services outside of RFP

spell out ALL charges, fees and policies that will be in contract – hide nothing!!

Responding to RFP build comprehensive RFP response kit,

so you can “plug and play” model your response to request – not

your own template let your personality and uniqueness

come through copyright your document

After submission… what next steps are – face to face?

presentation? follow-up on regular basis set-up face-to-face meeting if you don’t get business, find out who did

and why

Summary… What is one thing you will change in your

next RFP ask or response?

Break

Panel Discussion

Our Panel David Jewell, CMP 

Regional Vice President, Helms Briscoe  Anne Marie Sklar, CMP

Senior Manager, Events Deloitte Management Services

Jennifer Glynn, MAGlobal Account ExecutiveMarriott Global Sales Organization 

Greg Ganest CEO, The Meeting Encore Group Inc. 

Thank you!!