One of the common questions I get from marketing professionals is how to find RFPs (or potential projects) before the RFP is advertised. We hear repeatedly that we must do our capture planning and firm positioning before the project is advertised. What is not discussed enough is how to find out about the projects before they get advertised.
In this article, I am going to share some ways to find projects before they advertise. Read to the end to get a research template freebie.
Start with Strategy
Like many things in marketing and business development, it starts with a strategy. Specifically, to find upcoming potential work, I like to start with three areas.
- Markets – First, look at your markets. This can be the actual geography, industries, etc.
- Current Clients – To find future RFPs, you need to start with who are working with now. Knowing who your clients are now and understanding what types of work you are doing for them now, will help identify:
- Future work/projects like what you are currently doing
- Other types of projects they may have
- Potential Clients – Once you know your current markets and clients, list out all the common characteristics. Know what characteristics your existing clients have will help you identify other similar types of potential projects.
Gather Intelligence
Once you have the strategy developed and have identified your existing and potential new clients, I recommend listing them. You can then start gathering intelligence about each client. I call this intelligence gathering and it includes talking or researching the following:
- Existing clients
- Meeting with potential new clients
- Subscribing to RFP services such as Onvia or IMS
- Asking teaming partners
- Asking end users or other client vendors or suppliers
Follow the Money (and Demand)
You might have heard before to follow the money, but what does that exactly mean? I would like to expand it to follow the money and demand. If you know where the demand is, then the money will follow.
Let me give you an example that I have used in the past for a K-12 market.
I used to live in Orlando, Florida. We moved from downtown Orlando to a new master-planned community called Lake Nona. This new area of Orlando is was growing rapidly. I visibly saw it around me. New housing developments, a new VA hospital, and major employer construction being announced a few times a year.
Knowing this, I put our education team on notice. Because when people are moving to the area that was previously undeveloped, next comes schools, roads, firehouses, etc. All the projects many of our firms work on.
No doubt in the four years we lived there, two elementary schools, a middle school, and three preschools were built. There is also a new high school, private Catholic school, and a charter school in design. Never mind the countless office and commercial projects in progress and a future roadway widening project. This one area of town could serve many of our firms’ markets.
Some things that you as a leader can watch for as part of your market research are:
- Where are people moving to?
- Where are major employers moving to?
- What large developments/communities are being presented to elected officials for approvals?
- What large infrastructure projects are in planning, design, construction?
Market Research Tools
Use the following tools to help you find or keep track of this type of information for your current and potential clients:
- Business Journals
- City/County Commission Agendas
- Comprehensive Plans/Community Redevelopment Plans
- Capital Improvement Plans
- Ballot Initiatives
Again, this goes back to the first step about starting with strategy. You won’t be able to track or even find this information for every city/county/state. Therefore, it’s good to start with a list of existing and potential clients.
Intelligence Gathering Template
Use the link below to get your free resource of questions to ask clients, potential clients, and teaming partners during your intelligence gathering phase.
Your Turn
What are some ways that you found out about a project before the RFP advertised? Comment below if you found out about a project other than one of the ways I listed above. I would love to hear other ideas.
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Hi Lindsay,
Good comprehensive article on finding RFPs before they are advertised. Most coordinators have very little know ledge of the sources you mention.
They key often to winning a project is to meet and visit with the owner before the RFP is out. If the owner does not know you on a major project before the RFP is out, you have little chance of winning the project. In fact most of the Fellows would say forget.
The best source of finding upcoming public agency project plans is capital improvement plans. Not only do they list what is coming up this next year, they often have to submit 5 year plans. Plenty of time to develop a trusting relationship before the RFP.
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Great article! We just moved into Lake Nona as well and we love it.
We’ve been ‘perfecting’ our own RFP processes and this will certainly help!
Hi Sal,
We miss Lake Nona so much. It’s completely different than when we lived there 6 years ago! Our favorite was our neighborhood restaurant called Canvas. They had the best food and cocktails.
I am happy you found this article helpful. Feel free to reach out any time you have questions.
~Cheers, Lindsay