Try this out and let me know how it goes.

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:

Schedule some time, uninterrupted, to create a checklist list of what a RFP needs to include in order for you to say “YES!” to responding.

Divide your checklist into three sections:

  • Absolutes: Components that need to be listed in the RFP to result in an absolute “YES!”
  • Considerations: Situational factors that can influence whether you respond to the RFP
  • Overriders: What would make you say “YES!”, even if the RFP doesn’t include enough Absolutes

Use the following statements (as well as others you come up with!), label each statement as an Absolute, a Consideration, or an Overrider:

  • I am familiar with the organization 
  • This organization is new to me 
  • I have been wanting to work with this organization for a while 
  • I have worked with this organization before (and it was a positive experience) 
  • This organization is mission-aligned 
  • The organization has strong diverse (BIPOC, youth-adult partnership, accessibility, LGBTQ, etc.) staff and leadership presence (and can easily be confirmed)
  • The organization is local to me
  • The organization is not local to me but seeks proposals from out-of-state/country applicants 
  • I believe this organization has documented equitable practices (and can easily be confirmed)
  • The person(s) that referred me is someone I personally know AND have built a relationship with 
  • I’ve had the opportunity to build a relationship with the organization prior to receiving this RFP
  • I have the opportunity to speak directly to the person that sent me the RFP for clarifying questions 
  • The person sending the RFP has some pull or it part of the RFP selection process
  • I have more than enough time to respond to this RFP
  • The process of developing a proposal isn’t time consuming and takes away from current client/partner work 
  • The RFP lists the project budget 
  • The RFP lists documents I can easily gather 
  • The RFP’s qualifications allow for a variety of consultants and organizations to apply 
  • I have the skillsets needed to partner on this project 
  • I have the capacity to take on this project 
  • The RFP outlines specific deliverables yet encourages flexibility in how these deliverables are met
  • The project will allow me to develop a skill or learning perspective I’m interested in developing 
  • The project will occur in a timeline that’s convenient for me (6 months, 1-3 years, etc.)
  • There’s outlined opportunities for the project to extend beyond the listed timeline 
  • I have a clear process for working on projects similar in scope that I can pull from
  • I have the opportunity to work directly with the client to develop the proposal 
  • The RFP outlines collaborative and participatory practices for planning, designing, implementing, and reflecting on this project 
  • The project is explicit in developing a feedback loop for stakeholder accountability 
  • The project sounds very interesting 
  • The project will help further my business/organizational goals 

Let’s process:

How many statements did you list under each section? Here’s a visual where I pulled some of the above statements:

Are your Absolutes considered dealbreakers for you? What Considerations do you have in place? What will Override your Absolutes?

Feel free to use these statements or come up with your own, and return to this activity every time you receive a RFP.

Bonus: Whether you decide to reply or not, let the organization know why you responded (or didn’t) and why their RFP is (or isn’t) equitable. This information can go a long way in helping organizations understand how to develop equitable RFP processes.

Key takeaway

You have more control over whether you respond to a RFP. In order for organizations to be pushed to develop equitable RFP practices, they need to know if their RFP process is or isn’t equitable. Use your RFP “YES” checklist as a primary reference the next time you receive a RFP.

Try this activity and let me know how it goes.

Raise Your Voice: What makes you say “YES!” to responding to a RFP? Share below in the comments section.