Think your RFP responses are perfect? Let's hope you don't make any of these mistakes.
1) Skipping Questions - Buyers won't know whether you missed them, refused to answer them, or just didn't know how to answer them.
2) Falling Apart - Yes, it really is necessary to mention that the pages should be bound securely, somehow. Also, please be extra careful with CD's and DVD's. I often find they are not secured properly and come flying out of the folders.
3) Monotone Q's & A's - Most Buyers I know are thrilled when the questions and answers are in different colors so they can be easily distinguished. Many insist on it in the RFP instructions.
4) Wrong Company - Buyers start with an RFP template each time. Vendors have canned answers too because they are repeatedly asked the same questions. Vendors, please make sure to update your answers and sample documents with the right company name. When I see another company, I wonder if my company's information was sent out to someone else accidentally.
5) Past Deadline - Your high school English teacher was right. Deadlines exist for a reason.
6) "Huh?" Invoking Answers - That's how I feel when I read answers to questions than actually have nothing to do with the questions asked. Your high school English teacher was also right about that- rambling because you don't know how to answer something doesn't cut it.
7) Following Directions - Creativity is great for coming up with solutions to the Buyer's problems. Creativity is bad when the vendor puts pricing in his or her own format instead of filling in the spreadsheet provided. Following directions is important. Chalk one more up for that faithful high school English teacher.
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