Assess the Available Information in order to qualify the opportunity.

Use the acronym – MANREACT to assess the available information as described below:

MANREACT

• M oney – can they afford the fee?
• A uthority to buy
• N eed / urgency, both client and vendor
• R isk
• E ffort required by us
• A bility to implement / Approach; operational feasibility
• C ompetition / Characteristics
• T iming – what is the compelling event

MONEY/ Pricing/ Buying Power

• Can the client afford our selected fee structure?
• The objective is to get the job at a fair price, not giving too much away.
• What would we need to do to match the client’s financial requirements?
• We should not be wasting our time with inappropriate clients.

AUTHORITY

Refer back to buying role…

• Decision-makers and roles.
• Dealing with the ‘right’ person(s) at the ‘right’ level(s)?
• Can they make the required decisions?
• What are the decision making processes and structures?

NEEDS of the prospect / client

• Does the prospect know/ agree what is needed.
• How clearly is the need defined?
• Management’s view of this need
• Differentiate between needs and wants
• Objectives and terms of reference
• Clearly stated deliverables

NEEDS of the vendor

• What are the vendor needs for the work?
  • Availability of other work
  • For existing staff and to meet growth plans
  • Availability of required skills
  • Is it within our Target sector?
  • To maintain reputation
  • To enter new fields
  • To leverage potential
  • Training potential for our staff
  • To address conflicts within the organization

RISKS – what are the risks?

• Of getting the work?
• Of not getting the work?
• What is the nature of the Project:
  • Is it highly technical in nature?
  • What are our skills in this regard?
  • What is our staff attitude like?
  • What is the senior resource use and hence the leveraging?

EFFORT of the proposal

• Formal proposal required?
• Existing relevant documentation.
• Further information required?
• Availability of our best people for proposal.
• What is the decision / evaluation process?
• Approximate total cost of proposal effort?
• What is the cost / value / probability relationship?
• Is the proposal effort worth it?

EFFORT of the project

• Client location; cost of S&T.
• Extent of relevant experience and subject matter knowledge? /similar field/ past project documentation?
• Is new technology involved?  Research required?
• Do we need and have the technological skills?
• Are associates/ subcontractors required?
• Required project structure?

Ability/ Approach/Design
Approach – Ability

• What is our ability in this area?
• Have we done this work before?
• What approach to use?
  • Methods
  • Style
  • Involvement
  • Steps
  • Proposed solution?

Approach to designing the job

• Designing the job well is often the key to:
  • Getting the job.
  • Delivering a good product.
  • Making a profit.
• Designing the job happens before the job is awarded, not after.
• Designing the job is the heart of the proposal development process.

Who Is The COMPETITION?

• Types (Big firms, local/international, specialists/generalists, etc.)
• Size, reputation and style of competition.
• Relative strengths / weaknesses.
• Cost / fee structures.
• Key differentiators:
  • Bases of competition (speed, quality, price)
  • Relationships with key decision makers
  • Our areas of potential competitive advantage
  • Partnering arrangement(s)

CHARACTERISTICS of Client

• How big – entire organisation, department, or even an individual?
• Do we have other relationships with the client?
• Where is the client located?
• Have we done prior work?
• What is the likelihood of public exposure?
• Type of Client Organisation
• Sophisticated/unsophisticated user
• Reason for using consultants

TIMING

• Proposal timing, start date, due date
• What pressure is the client under?
• Can we do it within the time constraints?
• What is the effect on quality?

Is more information required?

• Have we sufficient information
• Where can we get additional information
• What specifically do we need?

Is the information sufficient for us to qualify?