EBOOK
The complete
RFP response toolkit
Essential templates and tips for winning
Brought to you by
This ebook provides instructions
on how to build an RFP response
template, including examples and
templates of some of the most
common sections that appear in
most submitted proposals. It also
reviews a standard RFP response
process, complete with advice on
how to use the template, when
to engage other response team
members, and where Responsive
can give you an advantage.
[Link]
PART ONE
How to build your Responsive’s
enterprise-level
RFP response template capabilities
This RFP response template gives you a head start on developing your enable multiple
own template that includes all of your brand elements. business units,
including partners,
to collaborate on
Cover letter 3
a single platform.
Executive summary 4
It also reduces
communication
Questions and answers 5 channels during
the proposal
Pricing 6
development
Business profile 6 process.
PAGE SNIDER
References 6
Director of Business
Program Management,
Contract/agreement 6 Microsoft Consulting
Service
Read how Microsoft uses Responsive
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 2
PART ONE // How to build your RFP response template
Cover letter
Follow these steps to write your cover letter:
1. Thank the issuer.
Open by acknowledging the opportunity. Mention the RFP broker, when applicable.
2. Recite your understanding of the opportunity.
Validate that you reviewed the RFP requirements.
3. List your abilities to meet requirements.
If you can meet all of them, lead with that fact.
4. Describe your value propositions.
You’re trying to portray that, “This is what we bring to the table,
and that’s why we’re the best choice.”
5. Provide a high-level future snapshot.
Help reviewers and stakeholders envision what their business will look like
after they choose your solution.
6. Conclude with a persuasive delivery of your
understanding of next steps.
“We look forward to the opportunity to discuss our proposal further.”
Show that you’re able and willing to move forward in the sales lifecycle.
See a cover letter example
7. Have the sales representative or executive sponsor sign it.
The cover letter shouldn’t look like a form letter from the organization as a whole.
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 3
PART ONE // How to build your RFP response template
Executive summary
Follow these steps to write your executive summary:
1. Create a title using a dynamic verb.
Sadly, the most popular title for an executive summary is “Proposal for Prospect
Company.” Use the title as an opportunity to capture the executive’s attention.
“Increasing lead-generation …” or “Visualizing revenue forecasting …” or “Streamlining
cloud storage …” — whatever it is that your solution is going to do for them.
2. Use the recipient’s actual name whenever possible.
It makes recipients feel important and personally attended to when they see
their name on the front page.
3. Aim for a 3:1 ratio of recipient company name
versus your company name.
Make the document feel customized to them, not you.
4. Show how well you understand your prospect’s needs.
Sales or business development representatives should provide this information either
from experience or from a formal discovery phase that needs to happen prior to your
building a proposal with an executive summary. List only three to five. Six and beyond are
dismissed by the brain as trivia, and are almost never read.
5. Make sure your key capabilities match your
prospect’s desired business outcome. See an executive summary example
If they don’t, it’s probably not a good fit.
Get an executive summary template
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 4
PART ONE // How to build your RFP response template
Questions and answers
This is the bulk of the RFP. Expect questions
on the following topics:
Scope Integration
Do you have similar past experience? How will your solution
work with our existing
Tech requirements solutions?
Are you — or can you be — a good fit?
Competitive
Budget requirements differentiators
Can we afford you? Why is your solution
the best?
Client references
Who else do you work with? Implementation
How hard is your solution
Security, compliance to onboard? Train?
Support? Can you meet
Automate up
and privacy
Are you a risk?
our timeline? to 80% of the
RFP process
Functional requirements
How can you help us? with Responsive.
Read how Crownpeak did it
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 5
PART ONE // How to build your RFP response template
Pricing
Not all RFPs call for pricing, but be prepared for those that do.
Explain how you price your solution and why it will cost the amount you will quote
(possibly later, separate from this RFP response).
Responding to
RFPs in a consistent,
Business profile accurate and
comprehensive way
Convert your “About” website page into an RFP-friendly format.
This will be boilerplate information about your organization’s size, financial health, awards, locations, is central to winning
and possibly community, charitable and DEI initiatives. Even though it’s boilerplate, make sure
someone is assigned responsibility to update information on at least a quarterly basis.
more business.
Responsive, coupled
References with the content
Assemble customer logos, especially those in the same library refresh
industry as your target. project, supports
Even better, include quotes from some of those logos. Even better, include name, title
and contact information of customer contacts willing to speak on your behalf.
our growth
ambitions.
Contract/agreement MICHELLE JOHNSON
Likely for informational purpose only, but it will VP of Growth Marketing,
GEODIS Americas
help set expectations.
Provide a contract for your solution or service so the contracts department
can review it to see if there are any red flags. Read how GEODIS uses Responsive
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 6
PART TWO
How to use your
RFP response template
Your RFP response template will be more useful when
it’s supported by powerful systems and processes.
Qualify the RFP
Insert a go/no-go evaluation at the beginning of the RFP response process.
Sales will be the loudest voice, but proposal teams, SMEs and executive
sponsors will need to weigh in to evaluate risk, timing and strategic fit.
Responsive advantage: Check data from past, similar RFPs. What took
weeks without RFP software may only take hours with it. All things being
equal, is this RFP winnable?
Kick off project
Provide clarity and accountability to the full response management team,
including strategic objectives that everyone can work toward.
Responsive advantage: Let our software create a checklist of open items
based on what remains incomplete in your RFP response template after the
Responsive Content Library uses AI to automatically suggest answers on the
first pass at intake.
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 7
PART TWO // How to use your RFP response template
First response Submit
Make an initial response pass based on reusable content. Deliver polished RFP proposal with reviewed supporting
This step is much faster with RFP software. materials. Follow up to confirm receipt. Keep internal stake-
holders abreast of progress.
Responsive advantage: Responsive consolidates all of your
previous Q&A pairs into an intelligent content library, so you can Responsive advantage: Click Send from Responsive or
automatically respond to repeat questions in just a few clicks. your integrated CRM.
Second response Save and audit
Tap into resources for new questions and assign segments that Save finalized responses in a centralized location and
require customization to respective SMEs. commit to regular content audits.
Responsive advantage: Assign each RFP question or section as Responsive advantage: Automatically add any new Q&A
a task to individual collaborators from the project dashboard in pairs or content to your content library for future use.
Responsive. They’ll then receive a notification where they’re already
working (for example, email, Slack or Teams).
Postmortem
Winning doesn’t always mean content was perfect. Losing
Review and revise doesn’t mean it was a bad response. Evaluate what worked
Conduct internal reviews to ensure a high-quality proposal. Link and what didn’t.
review requests to specific purposes (for example, Are strategic
Responsive advantage: Reference the Responsive Content
objectives met? Are responses accurate and high quality? Did we
Library Insights report, timeline and Search Terms report to
fully answer the question?).
drive the conversation with your response team.
Responsive advantage: Simplify the review and approval process
with automated reminders and cues across multiple platforms. From
intake, working within your branded RFP response template — along
with populating it with already-approved content — will decrease
how much you have to proofread.
EBOOK // The complete RFP response toolkit 8
EBOOK
The complete
RFP response toolkit
Essential templates and tips for winning
Brought to you by
About us
Responsive is the global leader in strategic response
management software, transforming how organizations
share and exchange critical information. Our innovative,
best-in-class platform and customer value programs
empower companies to accelerate growth, mitigate risk
and improve the employee experience.
With Responsive, frontline teams deliver superior responses
using intelligent technologies to quickly, accurately
and automatically manage RFPs, RFIs, vendor security
questionnaires (VSQs), due diligence questionnaires (DDQs),
risk assessments and all other complex information requests.
To learn more about Responsive, visit [Link], or request a demo.
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