How to attract top bidders for your Library project

Writing an amazing RFP requires intellect, attention to details and a thorough plan of action.  In this week's blog post, I'm going to give you some great tips to help you get started and to help you attract the top bidders to your project.

We've spent a lot of time reviewing Requests for Proposals (RFP) for projects we've chased over the years.  Over the past two months, I've been invited to attend a couple of mandatory bidder meetings.  And while both RFPs were well written and concise it occurred to me that they aren't all that way and it might prove helpful to break down the anatomy of a healthy RFP for my readers. 

THE MAKING OF AN AMAZING RFP

1. THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL

Get your title right.  It should be to the point but contain all the pertinent information.  Make sure you have a reference number for your bid and give your bidders the name of the project and Library district/location.

2.  LIST ALL THE IMPORTANT DATES

One of the most critical things you can do that I actually don't see everyone doing is to list the most important dates in the very beginning.  Make them stand out.  Put them beneath the title but before all your detailed information.  Put them in an outlined box, make them bold or underline them and put them in all caps.  Whatever you need to do to make them stand out will not only ensure all the dates are seen by everyone, but will also prevent people from saying they never saw them to begin with.  A lot of what goes into your RFP is put in place to protect not only your bidders, but your Library as well.  

3.  EXPLAIN THE BID PROCESS

Make sure you spell out your entire bid process.  List dates, schedules and deadlines.  Tell them your expectations and be very clear with your language.  One recommendation I would make above all else is to have your attorney review it if not help you write it so that you're protected from start to finish.

4.  GIVE A DETAILED LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS

Tell your bidders what you need from them.  They need to know all your expectations from their team.  Do you need them to bring on their own interior designer, engineers, landscape architects, etc.?  How many years experience should they have?  What state should they be licensed in?  Do you want references from them?  Do you want a list of all their current projects?  Do you need to know if their current workload can take on other projects?  Figure out what you require and tell them clearly.

5.  HOW SHOULD THEY MAKE CONTACT

Make sure they know who you wish for them to contact with questions.  Tell them when and where to submit their bids and be specific about the location for drop off, whether that's in person or via email, and tell them exactly what time you expect all bids to be in.  No exceptions.  If you give one exception, you must legally give them all the same exception.

6.  GIVE THEM TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS

Let your bidders know your deadline for asking questions and how you wish for those questions to be submitted.  Give an exact date and don't bend on it.  Then give them an adequate amount of time for when they can expect responses and then respond to all of them at one time in one place and make sure everyone gets a copy of the responses.  This will keep things fair and open.

7.  SPELL OUT THE SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

Decide what your qualifiers will be internally and put together a team of people to review each bid in detail.  Then decide how you will award the winning bidder and make this entire process known in writing in your RFP.  Keep it fair, but also realistic.  No need to make everyone jump through impossible hoops.  But don't sell yourself short either.  Make sure you review your teams adequately and name the right person for the job.

8.  LEAVE A SECTION FOR SPECIAL DOCUMENTS AND EXHIBITS

If you have existing plans for a building you intend to renovate, you might want to make those plans available to your bidders.  If you have a program already put together, give them that as well.  Be very open about your project so there are no surprises in the end.  Any documents you wish for them to complete, review or just be aware of, put them in a location that everyone can reach easily and direct them clearly to that location.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Writing your Requests for Proposals is very detailed work.  Take your time on it and get it right.  Feel free to reach out to others who have written them before and had success with them.  And as I said before, it never hurts to have your attorney review it and make suggestions at the very least.  Know what you need and ask for it.  Just be fair with everyone across the board and you'll have great success.