Telltale Signs That an RFP is Wired for Someone Else
By Dan Safford

Sometimes a procurement really is wired for a specific firm, though it happens less frequently than many people claim. You can begin being suspicious if you see some of the following in an RFP:

A very specific Scope of Work that lays out tasks to be performed in great detail can mean that another firm has convinced the customer that his solution is the best one to go with. 

A very detailed set of specifications that seems to favor a particular approach may mean that one firm or another has been whispering in the customer's ear.

A schedule that seems unrealistic to you, either too stretched out or too aggressive is another clue. If the schedule seems unrealistic to you, it could very well have been sold as quite reasonable by another firm.

A very specific set of personnel requirements can raise your eyebrows. Sometimes an RFP will require bidders to propose a project team that will include certain specializations. If you find yourself saying, "Why do they want to have that kind of guy on board?" then you could begin to get suspicious.

An estimate of level of effort or man-loading that seems disproportionate to what you think the project requires might make you suspicious as well. If it's higher than you think it should be, perhaps someone has convinced the customer that more hours-and thus more money-are required. If it's lower than you think is reasonable, someone might have convinced the customer that they could do the work cheaply.

These are just a few items that may cause you to be suspicious. And if you think that the competition is wired-that the customer has already selected the winner and it ain't you-then you shouldn't propose.

But having said all that I need to add that very few procurements are wired to one firm or another. Most firms and agencies holding competitive procurements are very serious about keeping them competitive.

And one final word. You can influence the customer before he writes the RFP. In fact, you should be in there influencing the customer, giving him ideas, listening to his feedback, and feeding him more ideas. You should be able to see some of your words in the RFP itself-it means that you have been doing your marketing job well.