Last week, I posed 7 questions to consider before sending out a Request for Proposals (RFP) to evaluate whether your organization’s process for securing consultants is equitable.

Also occurring last week, I responded to a RFP. There were several reasons why I responded (knowing the person who sent it, interest in working with the organization, having the skillset needed, the project focus, etc.). However, I responded because this RFP:

• Was clear, concise, and outlined everything I needed to know
• Included the statement: “In line with our focus on equity and evaluation, we aim to reduce the burden on interested applicants.”
• Limited the proposal to 5-7 pages
• Was explicit in requesting proposals from independent consultants as well as partners
• Included in the proposal requirements: “A brief work plan of the steps you propose, which we recognize are subject to change”
• Lists the qualifications they’re looking for, but also stated they understood that no applicant or proposal will meet all qualifications
• Specified that the proposal submission is the first step in a longer conversation with their time, with a small number of applicants being asked to have a brief phone call with the team
• Didn’t request additional documents (most likely because they knew they would’t read through them)
• The project sounds really interesting

What’s most impressive is that this RFP came from a philanthropic organization. When I emailed my proposal, I complimented the staff on how equitable their RFP was. The only thing the RFP didn’t disclose was the budget (and last week’s post shares why disclosing it is important.)

Regardless of the selection outcome, I hope this is the start of organizations developing more RFP equitable practices.

What makes you say “YES!” to responding to a Request for Proposals (RFP)?

Do you have a standard list of requirements? Are they consistent across RFPs, or do you make considerations based on situational factors?

Let’s create your RFP “YES!” checklist.

This activity is ideal for:

• Anyone wanting a proactive approach to considering whether to submit a response to a Request for Proposals (RFPs).
• Anyone responsible for creating RFPs

Here’s what you need:

• Whatever setup you use to capture your ideas (laptop, pen and paper, whiteboard, etc.) but make sure it’s kept in a place that you can refer back to

The steps: