The document discusses maximizing the potential of a small proposal team. It recommends creating processes, resources, and tools like templates to improve efficiency. Areas for improvement include preparation, processes, and past performance. Enabling succession involves documenting workloads, steps, and providing training materials to showcase value added.

1. Presented by Amy Stiver, CF APMP
Maximizing the Potential of a Small Proposal Team

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APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 | PAGE 2
Introduction
 Amy H. Stiver, CF APMP
 2-person RFP team
 8 years writing, editing, and producing RFP responses
 14 years with Bright Horizons Family Solutions®
 Bright Horizons®
 Employer-sponsored work/life solutions: full-service child care
centers; child and adult/elder back-up care; school-age programs;
work/life consulting needs; College Coach®; tuition advisory services
 Named 15 times to FORTUNE magazine’s list of “100 Best
Companies to Work For”

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Agenda
 Create processes, resources, and tools
 Identify areas of improvement
 Enable succession
 Review/open discussion

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Create Processes, Resources, and Tools
I don’t think human beings learn anything
without desperation. Desperation is a necessary
ingredient to learning anything or creating
anything. Period. If you ain’t desperate at some
point, you ain’t interesting.
Jim Carrey

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Create a Winning Process
 Create a RFP/RFI process with members of your RFP
team, department, and organization collaborators
 Make the plan flexible and executable
 Distribute the process to appropriate audience
 Create a personal RFP/RFI responding process
Process is an essential building-
block of efficiency.

6. Client Services RFP/RFI Process Flow Chart
The CSD is the owner of the RFP/RFI process and is the party responsible to coordinate the internal Bright Horizons team of
support and leadership personnel. The CSD is required to own the final product and ensure that it meet the needs of his/her
prospect and has a customized value proposition and pricing.
Amy
• Schedule kick-off &
financial calls in
tandem with CSD’s
schedule
• Send RFP to legal;
strategy form to CSD
CSD
• Create Opp in SF
• Fully read RFP &
complete strategy form
• Send approved
proforma/calculator to
Amy & VP
Bid Decision
• Answer Q&A
• Add CSD
preferences &
strategic information
gleaned from calls
• Check for style &
formatting
• Send out atypical
questions to SME
Amy 1st Draft
• SMEs answer
assigned questions;
Amy cleans and
send s for Peer
Review
• Peer checks against
RFP requirements
• Checks for CSD
preferences & style
• Comprehensive
proofread
Peer & SME
Review
(Specialist; Jessamyn;
Julie BHCA; Melissa CC)
• CSD reads entire
document
• Focus edits on client’s
needs, history of
partnership, value
proposition, financials,
& customization
• Highlight areas for VP
review (non-standard
questions, ES,
financials)
• Then submit to VP for
review (go thru Amy if
clean draft needed)
• VP reviews, provides
feedback
CSD & VP
Review
CSD &/or VP
• Last looks
Amy
• Final edits &
formatting by Amy
• Production (hard
&/or soft copy)
• Shipping as
necessary
• Upload to SF
Finalization
No Bid Decision
Amy
• Send CSD No-Bid
Letter
• Assigns task in SF &
Workload Spreadsheet
CSD
• Finalize No-Bid Letter
• Send letter to prospect;
copy VP
Amy
• FOIA procurement if
open to public
• Follow-up call
• Verify all files are
saved to G:/ & SF
(original RFP,
proforma/calculator,
submission, etc.)
• Review RFP for
new/revised language
and update in
template or send to
Amy for update
Follow Up
RFP/RFI Received
CSD:
• Review and forward RFP/RFI to VP, Amy
& Jessamyn
• Complete preliminary proforma for Bid/
No Bid decision
Amy:
• Assign task in SF
• Schedule kick-off call w/in 2-5 days
• Amy schedules call
with appropriate
parties
• CSD provides
strategy form,
proforma/calculator
prior to call
• Focus on strategy,
history with prospect,
atypical questions
• Review key dates,
questions for
prospect and
proposed timeline
Kick-Off Call

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Create and Manage Templates
 Start with most commonly asked questions
 Create templates for multiple purposes
 Identify a system that best meets your needs and budget
 Keep the templates fresh
Good templates minimize time spent drafting
and maximize time spent customizing.

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Identify Areas of Improvement
Almost all quality improvement comes via
simplification of design, manufacturing…layout,
processes, and procedures.
Tom Peters

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Areas of Improvement: 3Ps
 Preparation
 Evaluate your preparedness abilities – are you ready for
incoming RFPs?
 Process
 Evaluate your process – is it realistic? Flexible? Repetitive?
 Performance
 Evaluate your past work – what has and/or has not worked?
Doing things because that’s how they’ve always
been done only works if it results in success.

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Sample Documentation
 Items to Capture
 Client/prospect name
 Document type
 Sales person
 RFP responder
 Date received
 Date due
 Bid decision
 Company chosen
 Source of RFP
 Notes

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Enable Succession
There are three kinds of people in this world:
Those who make things happen
Those who watch things happen
And those who wonder what happened.
Mary Kay Ash

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Provide Value
 Document your workload
 Document your steps
 Create resources
 Create training materials
What you do adds value to your
organization; make your value visible.

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Thank You
 Amy H. Stiver, CF APMP
 Senior Business Development Specialist
 Bright Horizons Family Solutions
 amy.stiver@brighthorizons.com
 www.brighthorizons.com
 APMP®
 www.apmp.org