Re: RFPs ?

Subject: Re: RFPs ?
From: "Marc A. Santacroce" <epubs -at- ricochet -dot- net>
To: Perry_Moore -at- themoneystore -dot- com, "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 11:50:08 -0700

Perry, a company, or government agency will submit an RFP to solicit responses from industry. Among other factors, the solicited responses are compared for technical feasibility, cost, and capabilities of the company submitting the proposal.

One good thing bout RFPs is that they spell the procedures and formats for responding to the RFP in detail.

A very bad thing is that this is usually very time sensitive work. The first-est with the best-est has an enormous advantage over the competition. It's not uncommon for an RFP to require an around-the-clock effort until it goes out the door. Deadlines are non-negotiable.

I find much of the RFP process hateful. I'm sure others will disagree. You basically have to tout the company's strong points, load the RFP with as many résumés as you can muster (regardless of whether Phd. so-and-so will ever actually work on the project or not, or is even on staff). Then you bulk up the proposal with similar projects the company has completed, and with the remaining pages (proposal size is usually set in the RFP), give as much technical details on ow the submitting company will solve the requesting company's problem. This last part is often not given enough attention. IMHO it should receive the bulk of the attention. The last step is for someone to cost out the project.

As a TW you'll have to work with the proposal manager, orchestrate the collection of inputs, make it read as if it was written by one writer, make sure it complies with the format, size and procedural requirements, and gets out the door on time. I've even seen proposals hand carried cross-country, even cross-continent to arrive on time.

I don't find it satisfying work, but it can be lucrative. Don't understate your rate.

Good luck,

Marc

A recruiter asked if I had ever done RFPs (request for proposal ?) as a TW, what
is this? What are the topics covered in the document? what format is used? I am
clueless.

Perry

Marc A. Santacroce
Senior Technical Writer,
ePubs, Inc.

I love it here;
...there's no where I'd rather be,
......there's nothing I'd rather be doing,
.........and no one I'd rather be doing it with.




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