TABLE OF CONTENTS (DRAFT)

PREFACE

PART ONE
Making the RFP Process More Flexible

• Using Best and Final Offers
• Incorporating Negotiations into the Process
• Adopting a Non-Numerical Evaluation of Cost
• Including a Draft Contract in the RFP
• Including Special Terms and Conditions that Promote Flexibility
• Issuing a Draft RFP
• Accepting Alternative Proposals

PART TWO
Improving Your Organization's Approach to RFPs

• Understanding the Players and Their Roles
• Promoting the Value Added by Procurement
• Avoiding Scandals: Building Ethics into Public Procurement Processes
• Handling Unsolicited Proposals

PART THREE
Reducing the Risks

• Using a Fairness Officer
• Avoiding Unduly Restrictive Specificatications
• Using Risk as an Evaluation Factor
• Adopting a New Standard Document: The Evaluators' Guide
• Exploiting the Web: Great Sources of RFP Information

PART FOUR
Yes, RFPs for Software & Services are Different!

• What are the Critical Success Factors
• Why include a Proof of Concept in the RFP?
• What's Wrong with That Draft RFP?
• Other Potential Problems with the Draft RFP
• Why Permit Technical Conferences?
• The Evaluation Process - A Case Study
• The Voices of Experience
• Why Use a Proof of Concept in the RFP?

PREFACE

Most RFP text books, guidelines and courses deal, more or less, with the entire process from the time a project is initialized until the vendor debriefings have been completed.  In some books scoring is emphasized; In others, the RFP document or how to develop a solid statement of work.  Overall, most texts cover similar topics and differ primarily in the depth of coverage and the examples used.

The Request for Proposal Handbook, which I wrote in 1995 and which was recently revised, emphasizes the Evaluation Process but covers all of the steps form beginning through to completing the Procurement File.

There are a number of topics which are chronically neglected in general texts about the RFP process or document.  It's not that these topics are terribly controversial and to be avoided for risk of offending some readers, or that these topics are secret or that they are new.  It's simply that these topics don't usually fit into the smooth flow of a textbook.  They are a detour from a smooth narrative, a logical flow of ideas.

For these and other reasons, some topics just don't get the coverage that they deserve.  These topics are often important and sometimes critical to understanding the RFP process.  Some of these neglected topics deal with the RFP process; others, with the promotion of best practices to avoid scandals and protests,

In this book, I discuss those topics which I believe need some more coverage.  Topics that can change the course of an RFP process; topics that can materially assist a procurement person in achieving success and thereby promoting the value of his or her skills. training and contribution to the agency.  This book can help you avoid the big RFP mistakes and the next scandal.

This publication dealing with neglected issues is a new venture for me.  Some sections are too short as I simply did not have much reference material.  In others, you may know more than me.  So I invite you to send me your comments and suggestions about these and other topics that should be included as well as content that you believe should be included in the next version of this material.

Thanks you for your help.