Playbook #77
Respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) with AI
Transform a complex and demanding RFP into a compliant, clear, and competitive response, without spending your nights on it.
The Challenge
A Request for Proposal is not a blank page. The requirements are numerous, formal, and sometimes disqualifying. Each RFP imposes its structure, vocabulary, and evaluation criteria. The slightest oversight can disqualify your submission, even if your expertise is solid. For a smaller organization, the challenge is twofold: quickly understand a dense document and translate that understanding into a structured, credible, and aligned response, often competing against specialized teams.
What this playbook brings you
Go from a dense and demanding RFP to a structured, compliant, and usable response without starting from scratch. AI helps you analyze the RFP, identify mandatory requirements, structure the response according to the expected framework, and produce a coherent first version. You significantly reduce writing effort, decrease the risk of errors, and improve readability for evaluators. You focus on validation, strategic adjustments, and strengthening your proposal.
"The best submission is the one that reassures before it convinces."
When to use this capsule
- When responding to a government or institutional RFP with strict requirements.
- When you need to deliver a structured response within a tight deadline.
- When you want to standardize your RFP response process to handle more opportunities without exhausting your team.
- When training a junior employee to produce solid and consistent submissions.
- When entering a new sector and must quickly demonstrate your understanding of the issues and framework.
What you'll need
- The complete RFP (PDF or Word), including all annexes, compliance grids, and required forms
- 2-3 references of comparable projects, with factual results when available
- Your main competitive advantages, clearly differentiating in the context of this RFP
- Confidentiality note: do not attach confidential or non-public documents in an AI tool not authorized by your organization.
This prompt works with all AI tools
Copy-paste this prompt into your tool
As the person responsible for RFP responses in a professional services firm, your mission is to produce a compliant, clear, and competitive RFP response from the document provided below.
Objective Transform a dense and demanding RFP into a structured proposal, readable for an evaluator and strictly aligned with formal requirements and evaluation criteria.
Basic rules (non-negotiable)
– Never invent references, certifications, figures, commitments, deliverables, or timelines not explicitly mentioned or directly deducible.
– Any missing or uncertain information must be explicitly flagged as such.
– Never fill an information gap with an implicit assumption.
– Absolute priority to compliance: an elegant but non-compliant response is a failure.
– Adopt clear, structured writing oriented toward the evaluator (short sentences, tables when relevant).
Step 1 – RFP Analysis
Start by producing a synthetic analysis of the RFP explicitly including:
– Key needs and client objectives
– Evaluation criteria and their weighting when indicated
– Mandatory or disqualifying requirements
– Expected deliverables and critical deadlines
– Non-compliance risks or areas of ambiguity
– Explicit or implicit budget, if identifiable
Step 2 – Response Structure Then write the complete offer following a standard submission structure, using only sections relevant to the RFP:
1. Title page (organization, contact details, date, RFP reference)
2. Personalized cover letter (1 page maximum)
3. Understanding of the mandate and issues (demonstrate active listening)
4. Methodological approach (logic, steps, responsibilities)
5. Deliverables and timeline (clear table: phases, deliverables, milestones)
6. Proposed team and relevant expertise (roles, added value)
7. Differentiation and added value in the context of the RFP
8. Price and financial terms (clear structure, inclusions and exclusions)
9. Qualifications and relevant references (strictly factual)
10. Final compliance: explicit checklist of RFP requirements
Step 3 – Writing posture
– Professional, sober, and credible tone
– Clear style, without unnecessary jargon
– Evaluator orientation: the response must be easy to score
Final constraints
– Language: English
– Length: strictly respect RFP limits
– If an RFP requirement cannot be met, flag it explicitly and explain why
Expected output format
1. RFP analysis summary (1 to 2 pages maximum)
2. Complete proposal, section by section, ready to submit
RFP to analyze [PASTE THE COMPLETE RFP HERE or include as attachment]
Information about our organization
– Name
– Area of expertise
– Years of operation
– Team size
– Distinctive strengths relevant to this RFP
– References or comparable projects (if available)
Reminder: AI can make mistakes. Always review the content before sharing it.
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