Make a bid decision before building the presentation. A relevant subject is only one part of the choice.
Check the requirements that can end the decision
Read the full request, including submission rules and supporting documents. Highlight mandatory qualifications, insurance, location, delivery dates and required evidence.
If you cannot meet a mandatory condition, seek clarification through the stated route. Do not assume a polished proposal will compensate for an ineligible bid.
The APMP winning-business framework includes a bid/no-bid decision before formal proposal work. A small firm can make that decision with a short sheet.
Complete one page before committing hours
Fictional opportunity: a regional business network requests a review of its member-onboarding process.
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Can we deliver the required work? | Yes, process review is within our experience |
| Mandatory conditions met? | One insurance requirement needs clarification |
| Buyer access available? | One public clarification session |
| Can we show relevant work honestly? | Two permissioned examples; no identical sector case |
| Delivery capacity available? | Possible if the start is after the current project |
| Estimated response effort | 10 hours |
| What is the alternative use of that time? | Existing proposal review and client delivery |
| Decision | Conditional bid; clarify insurance and start date first |
The sheet does not pretend to calculate a precise probability of winning. It makes the reasons for spending time visible.
Set a response budget
A ten-hour budget might include two hours reading and questions, four writing, two costing and two checking submission requirements. If the response needs significantly more, reconsider the commitment.
Do not describe proposal time as free simply because nobody receives a separate invoice for it. It uses real capacity.
Choose a stop point: if a mandatory requirement remains unresolved before drafting begins, pass or explain why the firm is choosing to proceed despite the uncertainty.
Write a buyer-centred response if you bid
Use the RFP’s actual questions and required order. Explain the proposed work, relevant experience, delivery responsibilities, assumptions and commercial terms.
Where experience is adjacent rather than identical, say how it relates. Do not invent a sector case or borrow a partner’s credentials as your own.
Review the decision after the outcome
Record the actual time spent and any feedback supplied. Separate “lost to a competitor” from “did not meet a submission requirement” and “buyer cancelled the process.”
Use that experience to improve the next bid decision. Answering fewer unsuitable RFPs can preserve capacity for opportunities you can serve well; it is not a guarantee of a higher win rate.