Summary
Agencies and organizations spend an enormous amount of time putting together RFP documents that can scare away agencies, especially small ones. If we want to increase talent for civic projects, we need to commit to crafting more inclusive and effective RFPs and procurement processes. Bellweather Chief Strategy Officer Emily Lessard will share lessons learned from working both within and outside government agencies. Her knowledge spans responding to 143 RFPs and reading countless others. She will share ten lessons for writing more engaging and equitable RFPs, along with a link to download a sample file to get you started.
Key Insights
-
•
RFP processes begin with an engaging and clear request from government agencies that invites diverse participation.
-
•
Establishing a partnership with procurement officers is key to improving the RFP process.
-
•
Limiting RFPs to a maximum of 15 pages enhances efficiency and encourages more responses from agencies.
-
•
Clear and concise first pages in RFPs should contain all critical details to help bidders submit on time.
-
•
Avoiding spec work and digital-only submissions supports equitable practices for all bidding agencies.
-
•
Highlighting WMBE (Women and Minority Business Enterprises) firms can diversify the pool of proposer submissions.
-
•
Creating a positive user experience on procurement portals is crucial for potential bidders to navigate submissions.
-
•
Encouraging ongoing engagements rather than single projects can streamline procurement processes and build stronger partnerships.
-
•
Operational efficiency in RFPs supports equity by leveling the playing field for smaller firms against larger competitors.
-
•
Transparency regarding budgets and timelines in RFPs saves time and fosters mutual respect between agencies and bidders.
Notable Quotes
"Everything you see on screen started with an RFP if you can believe it."
"I humbly put forth this recommendation for us all to adhere to page limits."
"Let us all pinky swear in Zoom that our RFPs will only max out at 15 pages."
"No spec work is simply disrespectful for all of us running small businesses."
"It's about to be 2022; everyone knows how to read a PDF."
"Your RFP should be engaging, inviting, and welcoming to ensure that talented agencies want to bid on it."
"By having page limits, we're able to really make sure everyone's competing equitably."
"There's a lot of stringent rules about how you can put that RFP out there into the world."
"This is showing other potential partners that you care about their timelines and their business."
"When agencies have been certified, they're put into a database that you can search."
More Videos
"What right do I have to engage in this work?"
Sahibzada MayedThe Politics of Radical Research: A Manifesto
March 27, 2023
"Visual modeling is a key practice for developing our diagnosis."
Dave HoraAdvice for Establishing Research
December 8, 2022
"Encourage team adoption by sharing documentation widely and pinning it in accessible channels."
Gabrielle VerderberDocumentation Your Team Will Actually Use
October 3, 2023
"Designing is about augmenting intelligence, not replacing it."
Raven VealDark Metrics: Illuminating the Negative Impact of Digital Health Design
March 12, 2021
"Working backwards makes the unimagined possible."
Gretchen AndersonScaling the Human Center
June 8, 2017
"If user research is brought in early, you can prevent the mistake of thinking your users want ice cream when they may actually want cookies."
Craig Brookes Andreas Huebner Morgan Quinn"Just Make it Look Good" and Other Ways We're Misunderstood
June 11, 2021
"The partnerships we established significantly amplified the outcomes of our initiatives."
Sarah AuslanderIncremental Steps to Drive Radical Innovation in Policy Design
November 18, 2022
"Avoid dogma, keep iterating, and try new technologies."
Joe Meersman Pooria SohiUse AI to Drive Outcomes that Go Beyond the Design Sprint
September 25, 2024
"To scale what we've achieved, we must ensure our design system is accessible by default."
Saara Kamppari-MillerInclusive Design is DesignOps
September 29, 2021
