We have observed over the last few years that bidding on contracts with the Federal Government is becoming easier and harder; a contradiction yes, but true just the same.
It has become easier because of the standardization of the award vehicles and bid consolidators like INPUT. The task of finding the right contracts to bid on and the less complex responses required make it easier; but now that it is easier, there are many for firms competing, which makes winning contracts harder.
We have a client who struggled with the chaotic nature of deciding which contracts or TO’s (task orders) to bid on, who was responsible for what, how to make sure things did not fall through the cracks as well as the actual response language to the bid.
“So many moving parts and some of the bids require a few days turnaround” was the lament of another of our clients.
What these clients did, and what we are seeing in other GC’s (Government Contractors) is the use of process and technology to expedite and automate the on-boarding and workflow of moving a contract from in the door to a winning proposal. How did they accomplish this?
First, they hammered out their processes; acceptance criteria on a bid, or “go or no-go” decision metrics, and after a go is decided, who is responsible for what, and who is the first/second responsible party (and backup in the event of vacation or other key personnel out). From pricing, to resourcing, to writing the response, to searching for similar responses, and review, they developed and documented a repeatable process framework around which most of their responses could be tailored.
Secondly, they used technology to automate as much of the workflow and communication as possible. Technology cannot write the response, but it can search previously written responses and re-purpose language without all the headache of tracking down who wrote what and where it is now. Technology cannot make a response occur on time, but it can alert people that things are falling behind. Technology can and does make a “single version of the truth” manageable; how many times have we been ready to send a document to the client only to wonder “Is this actually the Final.Final.V2Final.10.13.14PMFinal”?
KTL Solutions is using Microsoft Dynamics CRM with SharePoint to create a workflow driven document management system that allows your team to respond with confidence. Activity tracking, response monitoring and resource scheduling allow for teams to respond with confidence. From “go or no go” to red team review to submission of all final related documentation, these tools allow organization to respond quickly without mistakes.
Yes, bidding on Federal contracts is easier and harder; but good process and technology will work wonders on winning more contracts with less headaches.
Want to know more about how you can be proficient in addressing Federal RFPs with using Microsoft CRM? Contact Steve at sales@ktlsolutions.com or by calling 301.360.0001.
STEVE HAMMETT | Senior Sales Executive
Steve graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), in Economics and a few years later, a Master of Science (M.S.), in Information Technology. He has helped organizations for over fifteen years to solve business problems using technology. He is well informed with all Microsoft Business Solutions and is a Solutions Certified Sales Representative. For fun he looks to the outdoors, whether water, where he is a sailor (Coast Guard certified in Costal Piloting and Navigation), a PADI certified scuba diver, and a certified Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, or land, where he is a skier, hiker and mountain biker.
| STEVE HAMMETT | Senior Sales Executive Steve graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), in Economics and a few years later, a Master of Science (M.S.), in Information Technology. He has helped organizations for over fifteen years to solve business problems using technology. He is well informed with all Microsoft Business Solutions and is a Solutions Certified Sales Representative. For fun he looks to the outdoors, whether water, where he is a sailor (Coast Guard certified in Costal Piloting and Navigation), a PADI certified scuba diver, and a certified Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, or land, where he is a skier, hiker and mountain biker. |
