Ask The Coach

A: I wouldn't send a letter. Instead, I encourage you to use this as an opportunity to see how you're positioned with this prospect. First, be very clear and specific internally about why you're not interested. Reasons might include:

• Your firm prefers not to do this kind of work, or is emphasizing other types of work now.
• You're skeptical about legitimacy of competition, eg, you perceive little chance to win the work due to a longstanding incumbent.
• The pricing is undesirable.
• Your firm rejects all RFPs as expensive, unwieldy, undesirable processes.

Recognize that, on some level, the sender believed that your firm would welcome the RFP, so there is a gap between your respective perceptions. Call and acknowledge receipt of the RFP and, after thanking the originator for thinking of your firm, ask, “What made you decide to include us in this RFP?” Most responses will suggest that the sender perceives that you have the necessary skills. (“If they can do this work, they will want to.”)

Now, gently correct those perceptions:

• “Actually, we've shifted our emphasis recently to [work type] and are phasing out [work type].”
• “Haven't you been using ABC Firm for that for a long time? Under what circumstances could you envision using someone else?”
• “We're potentially interested in working with you on this, but we have some real concerns about the pricing cited in the RFP. Can we explore that issue?”

Your goal in this conversation is to achieve one or more of the following, in descending order of attractiveness: 1) modify the specs to make the prize more attractive and increase chances of selection; 2) avoid “wired” or pro forma selection processes; 3) create a face-saving basis where you and the sender agree that it may not make enough mutual sense to continue the RFP process together.