Responding to a Sales Opportunities

Preparing a good, succinct response is crucial to getting business and keeping set-asides coming.  The following points should be taken into careful consideration to every response.

• Experience:  List relevant experience in exactly the requirements asked.  First order is government contracts that apply; secondary is commercial experience.  Include dollar value and whether your company was the prime or subcontractor. 
• Teaming, joint-ventures and mentor/protégé relationships are of second importance.  List exactly the role your company will play.  In construction contracts, the prime must do at least 10% of the work, in service contracts; the prime must do 51% of the work.  Always state which work you as prime will be performing and which portions of the work that your teammates will perform.
• Always prepare a thorough response customized for every situation.  It is crucial that you “answer the mail.”  Watch for grammar and spelling errors; this is often the first impression that your company will make to that government office and that impression should be very professional.  Text is most important; graphics are nice but not as necessary as good succinct writing.