While the emphasis of evaluators will be on the substantive, RFP–responsive information, there can be no doubt that subjective factors-the presentation skills and interpersonal skills of the various presenters, and the rapport they are able to build with the evaluators-play a very large part in determining which company is awarded the contract.
II. The "Team" Presentation: Competence Indicators
Most companies responding to a Government RFP seek to gain leverage by partnering with other companies. This is a "win-win" arrangement, as the complementary skills of different companies can be applied to the RFP requirements, and the Government stands to gain from the combined skills this consortium of a prime contractor and sub-contractors brings to the table. In the ensuing oral presentation, care must be taken to assure a smooth, coordinated presentation from these people from different companies who may not know each other very well.
Evaluators may, understandably, view a disjointed and unclear presentation as an indicator that this team will be unable to perform the terms of the contract. Evaluators from the Government have a responsibility to get the "best buy" for the taxpayer's dollar, and may, at least subconsciously, see a correlation between the effectiveness of the team's
presentation and how the consortium will accomplish the requirements stipulated in the RFP.
Certain key questions will be in the minds of Government evaluators:
- What is the chemistry between and among team members?
- Does the team have a clear vision of what the Government wants accomplished, or does the presentation suggest the team is still trying to figure out what is required by the RFP?
- Do the skills of the different companies and individuals complement or clash?
- Is the prime contractor really in charge, or do there appear to be some Prima Donnas among the sub-contractors, suggesting later friction?
- Does the presentation demonstrate that the consortium has the experience to accomplish the project required by the RFP?
- Is there a willingness of team members to accept Government oversight, or an attitude of “give us the contract, then get out of the way?”
- Most importantly, does the company/consortium seem genuinely interested in, and demonstrate proven capability to solve, the Government's RFP-expressed problem?
