How to handle an RFP
Many RFPs are wired for an incumbent or a competitor who helped write them. Responding to every RFP burns your team on deals you cannot win.
The first decision is not how to respond, it is whether to. Qualify hard, then commit fully to the ones worth chasing.
Short answer
Handle an RFP by first qualifying whether to respond at all: assess whether you can win, whether you shaped the requirements, and whether the effort is worth it. If you respond, address the buyer's real priorities rather than just answering questions, and differentiate. Knowing when to decline an unwinnable RFP is as important as responding well.
Step by step
Qualify the RFP
Assess whether you can win: did you have a relationship before the RFP, did you influence the requirements, and do the criteria favor you? A cold RFP you did not shape is usually wired for someone else.
Decide to respond or decline
If you cannot win, decline gracefully and preserve the relationship for next time. Declining an unwinnable RFP frees your team for deals you can win.
Find the real priorities
If you respond, look past the question list to the buyer's actual priorities. Reach out to clarify where allowed, and address what matters most, not just what is asked.
Differentiate, do not just comply
Meet the requirements, but also show insight and a point of view. A compliant-but-generic response blends in; a compliant-and-differentiated one stands out.
Follow the rules precisely
Answer every question, follow the format, and hit the deadline. Procurement disqualifies non-compliant responses regardless of quality.
When to decline an RFP
Decline when you had no prior relationship and did not shape the requirements, when the criteria clearly favor a competitor, or when the effort outweighs the realistic probability and value of winning. A disciplined no-bid decision is a strength, not a weakness.
How Ardovo runs this
Ardovo turns this from a slide no one opens into how the work actually happens. The stages, exit criteria, and plays live in the deal object, and Rook flags any deal that skips a step, drafts the next artifact, and keeps the data honest, so RFPs are qualified before you invest in responding gets followed instead of forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
Should I respond to every RFP?
No. Many RFPs are wired for an incumbent or a vendor who helped write the requirements. Qualify each one: if you had no prior relationship, did not shape the criteria, and the requirements favor a competitor, declining frees your team for winnable deals.
How do I know if an RFP is winnable?
Look at whether you had a relationship before the RFP dropped, whether you influenced the requirements, and whether the evaluation criteria favor your strengths. A cold RFP you did not shape is usually set up for someone else, so treat those with heavy skepticism.
How do I make an RFP response stand out?
Address the buyer's real priorities, not just the literal questions, and bring a point of view or insight rather than generic compliance. Meet every requirement and follow the format precisely, but differentiate on understanding and value so you are not just one more compliant vendor.