How you use your template will determine if you Stand out or Burn out

Having a graphic template—a standardized document that establishes your branding—can help differentiate you from the competition. A crisp, modern, and professional-looking proposal template can set the tone for the evaluation committee’s impressions of your company. However, when templates are used as an outline to respond to opportunities without regard to solicitation requirements, it does you more harm than good.

To do what you need it to do, your template needs to be adaptable to the needs of each RFQ or RFP to which you are responding.  Instructions on how to respondvary greatly. For example, sometimes the Government Agency is looking for all of the information in one volume.  At other times, there are two volumes, one for pricing data and the other for technical capability information.  Not to mention the others that may require three or more. The agency might require information for the following on separate volumes: pricing data, technical capability, past performance, and administrative or representation and certifications.  It is important for each bid to follow instructions precisely as they have been requested.  The ability to adapt your information to as many volumes requested and tailor it specifically to meet:

1. Statement of Work;
2. Proposal Instructions (usually in Section L of the RFP)
3. Evaluation Criteria (usually found in Section M).

One major reason for rejection of proposals is that the same material is reused again and again in the same format, regardless of the instructions given in a particular RFQ or RFP.  Templates are often constructed to provide an outline, but the solicitation’s organization takes precedence.

To be certain that you are fully compliant with the RFP, it is best to build a matrix that lists all of the RFP requirements in their proper order and then adapt this outline to build the proposal within your company’s template.