Data, Dialogue, Decisions! Lisa Hulet: SIRVA Worldwide Linda Ward O Farrell: Ward O Farrell Consultants

Data, Dialogue, Decisions! Lisa Hulet: SIRVA Worldwide Linda Ward O Farrell: Ward O Farrell Consultants

Data, Dialogue, Decisions! Successful Partnership

Walking you through...

Survey results

Corporate Responses Issued RFP in last 2 years? Expect to issue in next 2 years? 26% yes 53% yes

Corporate Responses Critical Increasingly using RFPs to obtain mobility services? 63% yes Importance of an RFP as a method of obtaining mobility services: Important Moderately Important

Supplier Responses Number of RFPs in the past year? Range of 1 to 65 Average: 13 100% Responded to the RFPs Increase over previous year? 47% yes

Supplier Responses Critical More selective about which RFPs they respond to? 76% yes Importance of RFPs as method of obtaining business: Important Moderately Important

Best RFP practices and fundamentals

In a Nutshell! Corporations: Clear & concise Don t ask questions for which you don t want or don t need an answer Give suppliers enough time to give you a good proposal Don t expect a quality proposal if you don t give suppliers enough time and clarity Suppliers: Don t write fluff Provide clear responses Answer the questions Present like you want the business Don t be surprised if you do a half hearted job and don t get the business

Managing the RFP process Consider a staged RFP process Provide period for questions / clarification Provide enough time for potential vendors to respond Stay on schedule Have in person presentations if possible for shortlisted vendors Contact all the firms that responded Provide feedback to firms if not selected

Best Practices - Corporate What Provide a clear and comprehensive RFP document When Why Who Outline the decision making schedule and process Understand why you are issuing an RFP Establish a bid team with the appropriate subject matter experts

Best Practices - Corporate How Clearly identify your goals, objectives and the scope of the required services Identify and communicate the selection and weighting criteria Tailor the RFP to the company s needs Ask for a non-disclosure agreement Provide background information and data Allow request of clarification of the RFP document Ensure transparency and fairness is maintained throughout the process

Best Practices - Supplier What When Why Who How Tell the truth Remember the goal is to make it to the next stage in the process Understand why the company is going to bid Understand your audience Blind RFPs should you or shouldn t you? More is not necessarily better be concise Not always about price procurement looks at total cost of ownership and how the vendor can help improve the client s business performance

Managing the RFP process Information session / questions Corporate responses: Supplier responses: 65% yes 71% yes

Managing the RFP process Timing of Information session / questions Corporate responses: At the onset of the RFP process Only after the bidders are given time to review it Supplier responses: At the onset of the RFP process Only after the bidders are given time to review it

Managing the RFP process To share or not to share! Corporate responses: Supplier responses: Q&As treated confidentially between bidder & client only All Q&As shared with originator of question identified All Q&As shared in writing on anonymous basis Other

Managing the RFP process Proposal timeframe Corporate responses: 14 days 21 days Supplier responses: 14 days 21 days 30 days 30 days 45 days 45 days 60 days 60 days >60 days >60 days

Proposal Evaluation Corporate Responses Not important Moderately Important Important Critical Technical / Statement of Work Financial / Annual Report Proposed Fees Service Level Agreements Technological Requirements

Proposal Evaluation Supplier Responses No concern Sometimes difficult Often difficult Always difficult Technical / Statement of Work Financial / Annual Report Proposed Fees Service Level Agreements Technological Requirements

How Corporations Evaluate Proposals Creativity shown in written submission (i.e. differentiation) Adherence to the RFP guidelines Clarity of responses An easy to follow, concise submission Timeliness (meeting the deadline) Providing the comfort level that the supplier can actually do the job

Key criteria used in successful RFPs

Common RFP Criteria Company overview Global reach Technology Communications Staffing Culture and values Privacy, risk & security Pricing KPIs & SLAs Implementation plan Presentation Website, employer & employee portal demo Site visit

Asking the right questions

What are the right types of questions? Think small and focused size matters the shorter and more clearly focused the RFP, the better the responses from suppliers Create separation basic reason for asking questions is to create supplier separation main task is to create a smaller supplier list Include key terms and conditions need to score how each supplier will respond to the key terms Mix question types mix of autoscored and judged questions is critical to the success of the RFP process One question per question companies will offer a question that asks so many sub questions that suppliers get confused and do not answer properly Build a question library best practice your questions before sending out the RFP then import or add the questions to the appropriate buckets

Measuring success

Tools used to measure success Implementation milestones Key performance indicators Employee satisfaction surveys Service Level Agreements Quarterly business reviews

Thank you!