How do you manage contractors for best results?

Outsourcing certain deliverables is a necessary part of the service delivery business for many companies. And as I am sure you are aware, there is no shortage of companies that claim they can provide you with better service than anyone.

Not only do you have to find the right contractor, but also ensure that person or company provides the level of service you require. What's a good process a company can use to narrow the field and select the right contractor? Is there a trick to writing the request for proposal (RFP) to get better responses from contractors?

— Adam, Manager

Winning the RFP Process
by Meryl K. Evans, Editor, PSJ

Although we've talked about finding consultants and ensuring they live up to the agreement in past columns, here we focus on the process in between: developing the best request for proposal. Too often, RFPs result in proposals the size of a thesis. The evaluating team must spend considerable time to review and narrow down the candidates, especially with many candidates.

You want to write a strong RFP that solicits solid responses to help you quickly find the right company, but you also want to take advantage of your network to improve your chances of landing the right person.

Here are the suggested steps to follow in finding the perfect partner with a strong RFP:

• Document requirements as best as possible.

• Create a template.

• Adapt the process if you have a contractor in mind.

Document requirements as best as possible

The best RFPs clearly outline the company's needs, problem and what its management team expects in a solution. When a company decides to outsource a project elsewhere simply because its staff doesn't have the knowledge to do it, spelling out thorough requirements is difficult. You may not be able to document your requirements thoroughly if you don’t fully understand what you need. That's OK. The point is to get solutions that meet your needs. Check out this all too true cartoon, which explains how projects really work.

Keep in mind that solutions can change after the vendor comes on board and discusses the problem in depth. Staff assigned to the project can also change by the time the company awards the contract. Acknowledging change ensures you solicit the right and most-updated information from vendors. If your RFP process takes a long time, maybe it's best to skip including a section on who would be assigned to the project. Instead, put a note that when the vendor signs the contract — it outlines the assigned staff, and the vendor cannot make changes without the client's permission.

Create a template

Another feature of a strong RFP is the inclusion of a template for vendors to follow when submitting their RFPs. When there isn't a template, smart vendors work to match their response with the RFP outline. This way they ensure they've addressed every requirement. But it would be more beneficial to have a template because all RFPs should look the same — with the only difference being the vendor's solution.

A template facilitates evaluating the proposal, saving time for the evaluating team. A vendor that can't follow a template isn't going to listen to you.

Adapt the process if you have a contractor in mind

Some vendors have become disillusioned because large companies and government organizations must distribute an RFP even if they have a company or person in mind for the project. Vendors that run into this pull something together quickly to avoid wasting time on an RFP designed to seal the deal with a specific contractor.

If you do want to hire a particular contractor, requiring RFPs is not a good process, despite your wish to give everyone an equal opportunity. Realistically, if you favor a company, do what you can to avoid taking up the other vendors' time.

As you write the RFP, think of the reader as someone who knows nothing about your company or solution. Too often, we think we included everything when we overlook something simply because we think about our product or service all the time. Provide a template for easier evaluating, and adapt the process as needed. Then know that even the best-laid plans may still lead to the creation of a roller coaster when you simply wanted a tire swing.

Even if the project doesn't exactly meet your expectations, plan ahead by setting up a change request process with the contractor to factor in modifications, and so the contractor doesn't leave you hanging because you haven’t allocated enough time for the project.

Meryl K. Evans is the content maven behind this newsletter. She has written for The Dallas Morning News, PC Today, InformIT and others. Stop by her site or check out her blog.