In the first five parts of this series we explained the importance of a structured analysis of your win probability and provided checklists for critically analyzing the opportunity, your customer, your competition, and yourself. In this final part we provide guidelines for preparing your win strategies and making a sound bid decision.
In the first four parts of this six-part series we provided an overview of the importance of a structured analysis of your win probability, and checklists for conducting critical analyses of the opportunity, your customer, and your competition. In this part we will provide a checklist for a critical analysis of yourself. In the remaining part we will provide guidelines for preparing your win strategies.
The purpose of the Competitor Analysis is to assess the capabilities and potential for all competing factors to prevent your company's success. Companies usually consider only other potential offerors and ignore competing factors within their customer’s management and funding authority. Consequently the companies spend scarce B&P funds on opportunities that never materialize.
In the first two parts of this six-part series we provided an overview of the importance of a structured analysis of your win and provided a checklist for conducting a critical analysis of the opportunity. In this part we will provide a checklist for a critical analysis of your customer. In the remaining parts we will provide checklists for your competitors’ analysis and self analysis, and guidelines for preparing your win strategies.
In the first part of this six-part series we provided an overview of the importance of an early, structured Competition Database Analysis for preventing wasted bid and proposal funds on unattainable pursuits. In this part we will discuss some specific requirements and provide a checklist for the Opportunity Analysis.
During the proposal creation process, competition analysis (that is, knowledge of who the competition is for this contract, and what the competition is likely to bid) has four distinct, but related, uses by the Proposal Manager.
Preferably before the RFP ever comes out, you should be assessing the potential competition on a proposal. Because a proposal is a competition, you need to score higher to win. In order to boost yourself, or even lower them, you have to know who they are.
BACKGROUND
The incumbent has had the service contract for several years. They have a large force of employees on the job, but performance has declined, and the incumbent is inattentive to customer needs. It is re-bid time.