I don’t respond to RFPs. I have in the past, but I’ve learned my lesson.

Nonetheless, I still receive them. This one just arrived and it seems a perfect opportunity to explain:

1. Why I will ignore it
2. Why no one should use the RFP process

First, you need to know that this RFP is totally typical. I’ve changed nothing but identifying information to protect the innocent.

THE RFP

Paper is the point, isn’t it?

We are seeking proposals from Vendors with expertise and experience in conducting organizational culture assessments. Specifically, we want to determine what cultural changes will be required to align the entire organization with the Strategic Plan. Also, we expect that the feedback from this assessment will provide valuable insights about skills and behaviors (e.g. leadership; management; and communication) the Executive Team and Board of Directors may need to exhibit in accomplishing the Strategic Plan and leading the desired changes.

Note: Proposals are due by Dec 26

Project Description and Deliverables 

1. The Vendor will facilitate a strategic planning meeting with HR and/or Executive Team to ensure that the key expectations and objectives will be met.

2. The Vendor will develop a customized on-line assessment to be reviewed by HR and/or Executive Team.

3. Once the data has been collected, the Vendor will analyze it and identify where we have opportunities to move the culture in the desired direction.

4. The Vendor will prepare a draft report of outcomes and recommendations.

5. Once the draft report has been finalized, the Vendor will meet with the Executive Team and the Board of Directors’ Human Resources and Compensation Committee to review outcomes and recommendations.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

Let me count the ways!

1. I wouldn’t be surprised if lots of collaborative hours went into preparing this RFP. I don’t know how many hours, but it isn’t worth the paper it is written on.
2. They want proposals based on zero information. Once the project is awarded, the consultant gets to sit down with the key players to find out what is most important to them.
3. The output is a report, not a business outcome. Reports do not make the world go round once you get out of high school.
4. Once they get the report, they will likely talk about it for months and months. You have to be more outcome focused if you want to get anywhere.
5. They have prescribed the method they want followed. Most consultants will respond with a proposal that follows that method whether or not it makes any sense or will help the organization achieve its objectives.
6. Since there is so little information, the consultants who respond will have to protect themselves in one of three ways:
   • Charge by the hour, which I think is inappropriate, if not unethical, because it rewards consultants for being slow.
   • Provide a fairly shrink-wrapped approach despite the request for a custom assessment.
   • Pad their fees so they don’t lose their shirts.
7. If a cultural assessment turns out to have nothing to do with what the organization really needs, they won’t find out until long after they have wasted an amazing amount of time and money doing a cultural assessment.
8. Their plan to complete the vendor selection process by January 23rd demonstrates how slowly their clocks run. Assuming they make that schedule, which rarely happens in my experience, you can imagine how many hours they plan to spend comparing the stack of misguided proposals.
9. RFPs do not attract the best consultants.
   • The best consultants want to meet with you face-to-face before they propose an approach because they know that understanding the situation and objectives must come first.
   • The best consultants don’t assume you know what you need. If you know exactly what you need, you don’t need much of a consultant.
   • Last, but not least, the best consultants also want to be sure there is a good match between your organization and theirs. A few paragraphs does not cut it when it comes to assessing and establishing a relationship.
10. The best consultants don’t have time to scatter proposals like seeds in the breeze. They write proposals only after obtaining conceptual agreement.

Forget the RFPs. You will save tremendous time and improve your results simply by having the primary decision maker meet face-to-face with a well-respected consultant.