Compliance & Responsiveness

Question 1

What is the difference between compliance and responsiveness?

Answer 1

Compliance = meeting all of the needs explicitly identified in the tender documentation.
Responsiveness = meeting all of the unspoken needs of the buyer that underpin their requirements

Question 2

Does compliance only correspond to the content of a proposal?

Answer 2

No, it also applies to requirements regarding formatting, word/page limits, and proposal structure

Question 3

True or false: a responsive proposal thinks bigger than a compliant one

Answer 3

True - a responsive proposal meets the buyer’s business goals rather than just their project or procurement goals

Question 4

Which is more important?

Answer 4

Technically, compliance as a non-compliant bid will likely be disqualified. However, a compliant but non-responsive bid is less likely to win in a competition for funding.

Question 5

What is the term we use in day-to-day practice that refers to a client’s unspoken needs?

Answer 5

Hot Button Issues (or just Hot Buttons) or Decision Drivers

Question 6

At what point in the BDC should you start identifying a buyer’s underlying needs and goals?

Answer 6

EARLY - during opportunity planning or even market identification

Question 7

What should you do to ensure a compliant response to an RFP?

Answer 7

Read the entire RFP, reread, clarify any unclear points, shred the requirements, keep a compliance checklist, ensure that you submit everything through the designated system

Question 8

Where should you demonstrate compliance and responsiveness in unsolicited proposals, white papers, and RFIs?

Answer 8

In the executive summary, section summaries, and introductions

Question 9

What should you do if your proposal is non-compliant?

Answer 9

If it is more than 90% compliant but not 100%, address and explain why your solution does not meet a requirement, and why that’s not necessarily detrimental. If it is less than 90% compliant, conduct a gating decision and consider a ‘no bid’.

Question 10

What stylistic details are good signifiers of a responsive bidder?

Answer 10

• Naming the buyer in each section before themselves
• Naming the buyer more than themselves
• Mirroring terminology
• Clearly stating the buyer’s vision and hot buttons
• Address customer benefits before added features to keep the focus on them