EDND Fall Conference October 26-28, 2015 Watford, ND “WRITE A BETTER RFP” Paige Webster.

EDND Fall Conference October 26-28, 2015

Watford, ND

“WRITE A BETTER RFP”

Paige Webster

About Webster Global Site Selectors• Site selection, economic development, real estate, and management consulting company.

• Offices in: Phoenix (QH); Orlando, FL; Louisville, KY & Seville, Spain.

• Site selection projects that created over 2,000 jobs & $20 million in capital investment in recent years.

• Completed many successful economic development projects that have created hundreds of jobs.

• 20+ years of site selection and economic development work.

Contact: Paige Webster, Owner/Site Selection Consultant, 602-621-0576; [email protected], www.globalsiteselectors.com

WE ALL LOVE TO FILL OUT THE DREADED RFP, RIGHT?

DUE TOMORROW at 6:00 AM?

THIS IS HOW YOU FEEL TOWARDS THE DEPT. OF COMMERCE AND SITE SELECTORS WHEN YOU GET THESE!!

THIS IS HOW SITE SELECTORS FEEL, DURING A WORK DAY!!

ARE WE ALL FRUSTRATED YET??

Just Push the GO Button!

Organize

• Cover Letter – Executive Summary – Proposal –

Appendix• Answers to questions asked are the top priority. Put extra data in the Appendix.

• If there are separate responses from the State and the local agencies, tie them together.

• Compare your strengths to your competitors, if favorable.

• Show sources of data.

Be like USA Today!

Not like the London Advertiser!

Push the GO Button!

• Make it easy for US to check the box!• Use bold, HEADERS, highlighting, etc. to make your answers easy to find and easy to read.

• Charts and graphics can be helpful in the backup information.

• Follow the same order as the RFI.• Add up your data on charts.• Specifically answer each question.

Push the GO Button!

• Include your contact information.• Submit both a .doc and .PDF version. (And, of course, paper if requested.)

• Put the state and city in the doc file name.• If you are not Cher, Oprah, or the Donald you need to use your last name. If you are not Dallas or New York City, you need to use your state with your city.

• Proofreed your informition!!

Training

• Provide details on how you can help the company recruit and train their workforce.

• Explain the experience of the team that will deliver training.

• Explain how you can ramp up training quickly.

• Provide examples of past successful training.

Incentives

Incentives

• Provide clear and detailed information on incentives-what are the steps, performance requirements, etc.

• Quantify incentives.• If the consultant/company cannot provide enough detail for you to provide an accurate incentives estimate, do a pro-forma example using your best estimate, labeling it as an example.

Deal Killers!

DO NOT!!

• Mix in unrequested information with requested data.

• Omit responses if you do not have the information.

• Submit State and local responses separately. • Include a lot of irrelevant information or too much data.

• Just provide a link to where to find the requested information.

DO NOT!!

• Respond to an RFI with an RFI. • Pepper the company with questions. Review the entire RFI and your available information first so you can consolidate your questions.

• Include jargon, acronyms that outsiders may not understand.

• Miss the deadline.

First Impressions Are A Matter of Life or Death!

I’m SURE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!

GET ER’ DONE & PUSH THE GO BUTTON!!!

THANK YOU!!!!For more information, contact:

Mr. Paige Webster, CEcDPresident/Site Selection Consultant

Webster Global Site Selectors

(602) 621-0576

[email protected]