Manreact Copy

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?

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