Presales Management - IT Solutions & Service Providers

The Framework refers to a structure created with processes, activities, roles and responsibilities to execute various tasks in Presales management.

Thorough understanding of the Framework will help in the next sections of the course.

Adapting the Framework will benefit you, your team members and your organization in effective use of resources for successful contracts.

This lecture highlights some the benefits.

This lectures includes the activities to be performed as soon as you receive an RFP.

You should review the RFP and complete the five Modules.

At the end of the fifth Module you will be able to take a decision either to pursue the opportunity or to drop it.

This lecture is about the verification of the RFP response with adopted quality norms.

The sponsor or Sales Manager may accept to pursue the RFP, however it is the Quality Manager who reviews the work products as per organization norms and gives approval to go to next phase.

In this lecture under Tender Evaluation section, you will study the RFP in detail to complete the following five Modules:

TE1 - Proposal Project Team

TE2 - Roles and Responsibilities

TE3 - Customer Needs / Problems in detail

TE4 - Business Value

TE5 - Sales Strategy

In this lecture under Tender Evaluation section, you will study the RFP in detail to complete the following five Modules:

TE6 - Analysis

TE7 - High Level Solution

TE8 - Finalize Partners

TE9 - Estimate Efforts / Costs / Prices

TE10 - Delivery Project Plan

In this lecture under Tender Evaluation section, you will study the RFP in detail to complete the following five Modules:

TE11 - Gap Analysis / Assess Feasibility

TE12 - Risk Analysis

TE13 - Models / Plans

TE14 - Contract and Price Strategy

TE15 - Tender Investment Approval

At the end of TE15 Tender Investment Approval Module, you will be able to take a decision either to pursue the opportunity or to drop it.

This way you can monitor the resources being utilized for the RFP, at every stage.

This lecture is about the verification of the RFP response with adopted quality norms during the 'Tender Evaluation' phase.

The sponsor or Sales Manager may accept to pursue the RFP, however it is the Quality Manager who reviews the work products as per organization norms and gives approval to go to next phase i.e. 'Proposal Development'.

In this lecture under 'Proposal Development' section you will start the proposal development activities to complete the following Modules:

PD1 - Overall Proposal Concept

PD2 - Proposal Components

PD3 - Sales Components

PD4 - Partner Commitments

PD5 - Solution Components

In this lecture under 'Proposal Development' section you will start the proposal development activities to complete the following Modules:

PD6 - Commercial Components

PD7 - Legal Components

PD8 - Exclusions / Deviations

PD9 - Demos / Prototypes

PD10 - Risk Mitigation

In this lecture under 'Proposal Development' section you will start the proposal development activities to complete the following Modules:

PD11 - Proposal Review

PD12 - Offer Approval

PD13 - Proposal Production

At the end of PD12 'Offer Approval' Module, you will be able to take a decision either to pursue the opportunity or to drop it.

This way you can monitor the resources being utilized for the RFP, at every stage.

This lecture is about the verification of the RFP response with adopted quality norms during the 'Proposal Development' phase.

The sponsor may accept to pursue the RFP, however it is the Quality Manager who reviews the work products as per organization norms and gives approval to go to next phase i.e. 'Submission and Negotiation'.

In this lecture under the final phase of 'Submission and Negotiation' you will carry out the critical activities for winning the contract. The Modules include:

SN1 - Proposal Submission

SN2 - Proposal Presentation

SN3 - Proposal Follow up

SN4 - Customer Feedback

SN5- Negotiation Strategy

SN6 - Negotiate Contract

SN7 - Contract Award

SN8 - Contract Approval and sign

SN9 - Proposal Project Closure

This lecture is about the Case Study.

After completing the earlier sections about the frame work, you will now have a good understanding of the Modules, Work Products and templates.

Let us now apply our knowledge of the Framework to develop a proposal for a sample RFP.

Please download the sample RFP and print if required.

Study the RFP and highlight relevant information to develop a response using the templates discussed under each Module.

In the earlier lecture, you reviewed the sample RFP and noted your observations.

In this lecture we will develop a Proposal in response to the Sample RFP using the templates.

Please down load all the documents attached in this lesson.

Start with reviewing the 'Case Study Comments' document.

This document explains the approach to RFP analysis and utilizing the relevant template for developing a response.

Please continue this process for each phase and carefully study the completed response templates for all modules.

Note your observations or comments if any and post the same.

I will be happy to respond and clarify them at the earliest.

The focus of this lecture is on understanding and setting up response Benchmarks for the development of Proposals.

This lecture highlights the importance of adapting the Frame work for your organization, and setting Quality norms.

Also to utilize the flexibility of the Framework for different types of opportunity in terms of value of the contract, complexity of solution, commercial considerations etc.

This lecture also covers how to set up Best Practices for adhering the adapted Framework..

The time and effort invested by you in understanding the Framework, applying the knowledge in developing a response to sample RFP as a case study must have given you a new perspective.

The other supporting skills in Presales management are inherent in the Framework.

Equipped with this knowledge you are now truly a Presales Guru.