How to respond to an RFP, step by step
From the first read of the solicitation to confirmed submission: the seven steps that keep a response complete, compliant and on time.
A public RFP response is evaluated against the solicitation, line by line. The best-written proposal can lose if it misses a required form, ignores an addendum or answers a different question from the one asked. A good process makes those mistakes hard to make.
Here are the seven steps, in order.
- 1ReadEvery page, every attachment62 pages, due Nov 14 at 2:00 PM
- 2Compliance matrixOne row per requirement48 requirements mapped
- 3Questions and addendaAsk early, track changesAddendum 2 replaced the pricing form
- 4DraftIn the buyer's structureAnswers tailored from past bids
- 5PricingThe agency's form, unalteredCurrent form, totals checked
- 6Review and signA second reader, then signaturesForms signed and notarized
- 7SubmitEarly, with proof of receiptSubmitted two days early
- Responsive
- On time
- Receipt saved
1. Read the whole solicitation
Read every page before writing anything, including the instructions to bidders, the terms and conditions, the evaluation criteria and every attachment. Note the due date and time, the submission method, the question deadline, any pre-bid meeting, page limits and formatting rules.
2. Build a compliance matrix
List every requirement in the solicitation as a row: what is asked, where it appears, who will answer it, and where in your response the answer will go. Include required forms, signatures and attachments. The matrix becomes your checklist for the rest of the process, and many teams include a version of it in the response itself.
3. Ask questions, and watch for addenda
If anything is unclear, submit questions before the deadline. The agency's answers are usually issued as addenda, which can change requirements, dates or pricing forms. Track every addendum, update your matrix, and acknowledge each one exactly as the solicitation requires.
4. Draft in the buyer's structure
Organize the response the way the solicitation asks, in the same order and with the same headings, so evaluators can find each answer against their scoring sheet. Start from your strongest past responses and company information, but tailor every answer to this buyer's requirements and words.
5. Complete the pricing exactly as asked
Use the agency's pricing form, without altering it. Price every line item, check the arithmetic, and make sure the totals match anywhere they appear. Pricing errors and modified forms are among the most avoidable reasons for disqualification.
6. Review, sign and assemble
Have someone who did not write the response check it against the compliance matrix. Collect signatures and, where required, notarization. Assemble the documents in the required order and format, within any page limits.
7. Submit early, and confirm
Submit well before the deadline, allowing for portal problems, uploads and couriers. Late responses are almost always rejected. Keep the confirmation of receipt.
For a list of the mistakes this process is designed to prevent, see why bids get disqualified.
Where VelocityBids fits
VelocityBids fills out the bid and drafts supporting content from your company information and past responses, completes the pricing schedule, and prepares the response as PDF, PowerPoint and Excel documents. Nothing is submitted without your team's review and approval.