DT #462 Responding to RFPs is a Team Sport

Develop This: Economic and Community Development

Responding to RFPs is a Team Sport

Dennis and Broderick discuss the sometimes intense process of responding to a request for a proposal with a tight deadline. RFPs many times come on short notice and successfully completing the RFP requires being prepared and having a team of rapid response partners.

RFPs can come from a variety of sources

· State ED

· Site selectors

· Utility partners

· Rail partners

Being prepared

High-quality maps

• Acreage, ownership, selling price, and location

· Topography

· Wetlands

· Floodplains – We’re near the Mississippi River

· Transportation access

· Utilities

Make sure that you answer all of the questions

Develop relationships with your partners

• Utility providers
• Rail partners
• City and county officials
• COG/Regional Planning organization
• Environmental specialist

We use the format required and requested

Always include a packet of supporting documentation

Import RFP takeaways

· Be prepared

· Have maps

· Create a spreadsheet of information

· Know who knows the answer

· If you don’t know something say so