How to Write an RFP Response

Why RFP Responses Matter

An RFP (Request for Proposal) response is your organization's opportunity to demonstrate that you understand a client's needs and can deliver the best solution. A well-crafted response doesn't just answer questions — it tells a compelling story about your capabilities, experience, and value.

Winning RFP responses share common traits: they are compliant with every requirement, clearly organized, persuasive in tone, and backed by evidence. Organizations that invest in their response process consistently outperform competitors who treat proposals as an afterthought.

Step 1: Analyze the RFP Thoroughly

Before writing a single word, read the entire RFP document at least twice. The first reading gives you the big picture — the client's mission, the problem they're solving, and the general scope of work. The second reading is tactical — you're identifying every requirement, question, evaluation criterion, and submission instruction.

Create a compliance matrix that maps each requirement to a section in your response. Note the evaluation criteria and their relative weights — this tells you where to invest your writing effort. Identify any ambiguities and submit clarification questions before the Q&A deadline.

Pay close attention to page limits, formatting requirements, font specifications, and submission deadlines. Non-compliance with administrative requirements can disqualify your proposal before evaluators ever read your technical approach.

Step 2: Develop Your Win Strategy

Your win strategy defines why you should win this specific opportunity over all competitors. It starts with win themes — concise messages that highlight your unique value and run through every section of your proposal.

Effective win themes are specific and evidence-backed. Instead of claiming 'We have extensive experience,' try 'Our team has delivered 15 similar projects with a 98% on-time completion rate, including three for this agency.' Each win theme should address a key evaluation criterion and differentiate you from likely competitors.

Develop 3-5 win themes that collectively answer the evaluator's fundamental question: Why should we select this team?

Step 3: Create a Detailed Outline

A strong proposal outline is your blueprint for success. Structure it to mirror the RFP's organization — evaluators will look for information where they expect to find it. Your outline should include section headings that match the RFP's sections, subsection topics that address each requirement, the specific win themes each section will reinforce, graphics and tables planned for each section, and page budget allocations based on evaluation weights.

Assign each section to a subject matter expert or writer. Include cross-references so writers know what other sections will cover, preventing redundancy while ensuring complete coverage.

Step 4: Write the First Draft

With your outline in place, begin drafting. Lead each section with your strongest point — evaluators may not read every word, so front-load your value. Use clear, active voice and avoid jargon unless the RFP uses it.

Every claim should be supported by evidence: past performance examples, metrics, case studies, or testimonials. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for past performance narratives. Quantify results whenever possible — 'reduced processing time by 40%' is far more powerful than 'improved efficiency.'

Include graphics, tables, and callout boxes to break up text and highlight key points. Evaluators process visual information faster, and well-designed graphics demonstrate professionalism and attention to detail.

Step 5: Conduct Reviews

Quality proposals go through multiple review cycles. The industry standard is a color team review process. A Pink Team review checks the initial draft for compliance and approach. The Red Team is a near-final review that simulates the government's evaluation. The Gold Team is a final check of the production-ready document.

Provide reviewers with the evaluation criteria and ask them to score your proposal against those criteria. Their feedback should be specific and actionable — 'strengthen the past performance narrative in Section 3.2' is more useful than 'needs improvement.'

Allow sufficient time between reviews for revisions. Rushing the review process is one of the most common proposal management mistakes.

Step 6: Polish and Submit

The final stage involves production — formatting the document according to RFP specifications, checking cross-references and page numbers, verifying all required forms and certifications are included, and ensuring the file format matches submission requirements.

Do a final compliance check against your compliance matrix. Every requirement should be traceable to your response. Submit well before the deadline — technical issues with submission portals are common, and late submissions are almost always rejected regardless of quality.

After submission, document lessons learned while the experience is fresh. What worked well? What would you do differently? This feedback loop is essential for improving your win rate over time.