In our previous narrative, we outlined the importance of the qualification section of the Request for Proposal. We demonstrated the importance of the qualification of the bidder in terms of the final outcome of the proposal.
The final section of the Request for Proposals will describe exactly how the proposals that are submitted will be evaluated. While each funder can tweak the evaluation process to an extent, there are some basic staples of the evaluation process that will remain constant. Your proposal, to receive its highest consideration, should conform to the list of criteria upon which the proposal will be evaluated. The funder will describe what is suitable for each criterion. Obviously, the more details the funder requires, the more thorough your proposal should be.
- Your proposal must meet the scope and needs of the RFP and you need to present them in an organized, clear and succinct manner.
- Your proposal will be evaluated on your experience and successes as they pertain to the scope of the project.
- Your proposal will be evaluated on your previous work examples as well as testimonials and references.
- Your proposal will be evaluated on the cost of your solution to the RFP in the form of your project or program. The costs must be based on the work to be performed within the guidelines of the scope of the project or program.
- Your proposal will be evaluated on the professional, administrative, and educational history of your staff which you will provide in the staff description section of your proposal.
Don’t forget to remember the close-out date and time for submission of your proposal.