Keep Your Government RFP Jargon-Free

Posted by Administrator on November 20th, 2007

In the list of top ten blunders your government bid should avoid, the #1 blunder is using complex language. In any industry, there are certain terms that are used every day by those in the know, but may be incomprehensible to people on the outside. Even though a government RFP has probably had some research put in to it, chances are that the buyers won’t be nearly as familiar with your industry and products as you are, so it’s important to make sure your government RFP response will make sense to a layperson.

The products and services requested in an RFP are intended to meet a need. If the RFP is for 60-pound bags of concrete, it’s probably not necessary to explain the basic function of concrete in the RFP response. However, the purpose of your RFP response is to illustrate how your business will provide the best value to the government agency. When discussing your selling points (hardness, durability, look, price, etc.), remember that the agency contact may not be that familiar with the finer distinctions between brands and types of concrete. The same goes with any commodity, from carpet to computer parts. The language addressing your value proposition should be couched around addressing the agency’s needs. A certain amount of industry jargon may be unavoidable, but try wherever possible to break it down into simple, quantifiable terms.

What to Consider when Drafting your Value Statement

The end user. Who will be using this product? In the concrete example above, will it be used for a building foundation? A sidewalk? These considerations will affect your recommendations. If the product requires training to use, what provisions will be made for this?
Price vs. quality. It’s not always about being the lowest bidder, but if you’re proposing a higher-end solution, make sure that your reasons for suggesting this product over a less expensive option are clear and compelling.
Agency purchasing history. Researching trends in an agency’s purchasing behavior will give insight into what solutions to propose or whether to target the contract at all. Does the agency always go with the lowest bidder? Do they tend to award contracts to local businesses? Getting a hold of winning proposals from a business intelligence company will give you a barometer for how detailed your RFP response should be.