This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Bid_solution
Capture is widely seen as essential – but rarely resourced well. It’s not about neglect or lack of intent. It’s that timelines tighten, priorities compete, and just like that, the RFP arrives before we’ve had time to truly prepare.
If you’ve ever sprinted from “we might bid” to “first draft due” in a matter of days, you’ve felt the paradox. Strategic intent meets operational reality – and the result is often a reactive bid that ticks the boxes but doesn’t quite stand out.
We say “strategic” – but act “last minute”
Strategy often begins at the kick-off workshop. But by then, the opportunity to influence has started to close. Teams are pulled in late, SMEs are stretched, and we rely on what’s available – patchy CRM notes, informal chats, gut feel. Everyone wants to do the right thing – but time rarely allows us to do it right.
The RFP becomes the starting line – when it should be the final leg of a thoughtful pursuit.
Proposals echo the RFP, not the client
Without early insight, proposals naturally reflect the RFP. The language mirrors the spec. The structure follows the template. The value proposition is safe – and sounds like everyone else.
Technically compliant. But emotionally flat
What if capture didn’t have to be big to be effective?
The answer isn’t to enforce more process. It’s to make capture accessible – right-sized to the opportunity, the resources, and the runway.
Think capture with a small c – early effort that’s simple, shared, and sustainable.
- Start small: Run a quick pursuit huddle. Use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Crystal Knows for customer insight, Klue or Crayon for competitor intel, and ChatGPT Deep Research for both. It’s not about formality – it’s about momentum.
- Clarify roles early: In many organisations, capture isn’t owned by a single team. Agree upfront how sales, proposals and SMEs contribute – and where handoffs happen.
- Build a “minimum viable capture” checklist: One page. 10 questions. Enough to start smart. Focus on the client, competition, and your capabilities.
- Strategic doesn’t have to mean complex. It just has to start sooner.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Bid_solution
Bid_solution | Sciencx (2025-10-03T04:57:43+00:00) The RFP Dropped. Now We Panic – Strategically. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/10/03/the-rfp-dropped-now-we-panic-strategically/
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