Respond or not? A strategic lever too often overlooked

In many companies, the decision to respond to an RFP is still made on impulse:

“We know the client,” “We’ve done this before,” “It might work…”

But this approach is costly. Every RFP response consumes:

• Sales and pre-sales time
• Bid production resources (technical, legal, design)
• Hidden costs: missed opportunities, team fatigue, and demotivation after repeated losses

Top-performing companies take a structured approach, based on:

✅ A bid qualification checklist with 7 essential Go/No-Go criteria

✅ A series of Go/No-Go decisions taken at clearly defined milestones, in line with APMP best practices (Association of Proposal Management Professionals)

The goal: Stop saying “yes” by default. Start saying GO with purpose.

The 7 Key criteria to qualify any opportunity

Before jumping into a proposal, apply these 7 filters to every RFP. They’re your strategic safety net:

1. Solution-fit / Client need alignment

Is the RFP within your core offering? Does it play to your strengths? Avoid stretching into unfamiliar territory or heavy customization.

2. Existing relationship with the client

Do you have prior interaction or history with the buyer? If not, your chances drop significantly. Relationships matter.

3. Competitive positioning

Do you know who else is bidding? Do you offer something clearly different? Entering as an unknown player makes this a risky bet.

4. Internal delivery capacity

Do you have the team, technical expertise, and availability to deliver confidently and on time? A bid you can’t fulfill damages your credibility.

5. Profitability and margin potential

Is the expected margin acceptable? Is the client financially stable? Is this a one-off or a door-opener for future business?

6. Strategic alignment

Does the RFP align with your commercial priorities? Target sector? Region? Type of account?

7. Team mobilization

Are the necessary people (sales, pre-sales, delivery) available and engaged? A half-hearted response is often a lost one.

Pro Tip: Score each criterion from 1 to 5. If your total is below 25/35, seriously reconsider your decision to bid.

Implementing multiple Go/No-Go milestones

Successful RFP strategies don’t rely on a single Go/No-Go decision.

According to APMP best practices, five key milestones should guide your engagement process:

📍 Milestone 1 – Decision to evaluate the opportunity

Objective: Decide whether the opportunity deserves a qualification phase.

At this point, you’re not producing anything yet. You’re evaluating:

• Is the need clearly defined?
• Is the client serious (budget, project owner identified)?
• Does it justify an initial time investment?

Best Practices:

• Appoint someone to lead the evaluation
• List missing information to research
• Do a quick qualification check (10 minutes max)

Outcome: Go = proceed to deeper qualification. No-Go = exit immediately.

📍 Milestone 2 – Decision to pursue the opportunity

Objective: Decide whether to engage in strategic pre-sales efforts (influence, positioning, framing)

At this stage:

• Identify key client stakeholders
• Begin shaping a differentiated solution
• Assess risks: vague scope, known competitors, budget uncertainty

Additional criteria:

• Are buyer roles and influencers identified?
• Is your influence strategy underway?
• Is the opportunity still financially and operationally viable?

Action: Build your pursuit team and prep for the next decision point.

📍 Milestone 3 – Bid / No-Bid decision

Objective: Make the call. Will you prepare and submit a bid?

This marks the transition from analysis to production. You now commit significant resources. Base your decision on:

• Buyer maturity and process clarity
• Internal availability to build the proposal
• Cost vs. ROI of the bidding effort

Key Questions:

• Can the client justify selecting us?
• Can we price to win—and profit?
• Do we have a clear advantage?

🚦 Go = launch the proposal plan.

🚫 No-Go = document the decision and file the opportunity.

📍 Milestone 4 – Bid / No-Bid reconfirmation

Objective: Reassess your position based on the final RFP details.

Surprises are common:

👉 Unfavorable contract terms

👉 Unrealistic requirements

👉 Misaligned budget

Checkpoints:

• Is the RFP in line with what was expected?
• Are timelines and deliverables realistic?
• Does our offer still add value?
• Are key team members still engaged?

If needed: revise your approach—or withdraw.

📍 Milestone 5 – Submission decision

Objective: Ensure the proposal is complete, compelling, and ready to win.

Before hitting “Send,” confirm:

• Is the proposal well-structured, compliant, and persuasive?
• Are any red flags unresolved?
• Is your pitch team ready for Q&A or negotiation?
• Are you ready to deliver if awarded?

Reminder: This is a leadership decision. It reflects your company’s standards.

👉 Note: The first Go/No-Go milestones happen well before the RFP is issued.

If you’re only discovering the opportunity at RFP release, you’ve already missed key phases—and that should factor into your decision.

Build a high-performing GO/NO GO governance

1. Create a visual qualification grid

• Display the 7 criteria at every milestone
• Use a color-coded system: Green = Go, Orange = Review, Red = No-Go
• Define a Go threshold (e.g. 80% green)

2. Schedule milestones into your sales process

• Lock in Go/No-Go checkpoints in your CRM and calendars
• Define roles clearly: Who decides? Who challenges? Who delivers?

3. Foster a No-Go culture

• Document refusals (reasons, implications)
• Learn from every loss
• Reward smart choices—not just bid volume

Conclusion – Saying GO is a strategic act

Adopting structured Go/No-Go milestones and applying the 7 decision criteria doesn’t slow down your sales—it sharpens your focus.

Of course you don’t apply the same process to a 10k€ or to a 10M€ deal

When you choose wisely, you:

• Waste less time
• Win more often
• Empower your teams to pursue the right battles

👉 Want to win more RFPs? Start by responding to fewer—but better—opportunities.