BUSI 313 LU RFPs and Negotiation Insights Discussion – Description
The student must post 2 replies of at least 250 words per reply
Student 1: Lee Martin-Miller
Definition and Discussion:
For our last discussion I chose to discuss Request for Proposal (RFP). I do not have direct experience with writing an RFP, but I am exposed to some verbiage that is contained in them and do have to give specifications on products that are to be included in an RFP. I typically deal with informal procurement bids; informal bids do not require near the same specifications that RFPs do. With that being said, the topic of RFP’s and it being discussed in this class is a huge bonus to me personally as I am getting ready to put together the proposal for a building that needs to be built at our training facility. Although I will not be the one to officially put the RFP out, I am responsible for some of the specifications and requirements this building will need. Request for Proposal (RFP) as defined by Larson and Gray (2021) “A type of procurement document used to request proposals from prospective sellers of products or services,” (p.441).
An important note to point out is that government RFPs can vary from private RFPs. Private companies can submit the RFP to vendors who they may have previously used or vendors they know can perform. Government RFPs on the other hand must make the RFP open to qualified vendors to submit their proposals. There are also certain elements listed on the RFP that vendors must agree to when putting in their proposal, “Government contracts contain a host of standard terms and conditions, called “clauses.” Many of the clauses are, by regulation, non-negotiable,” (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, n.d., p.16).
Whether you are writing and RFP or responding to one, the language and how the RFP is written can be very confusing or convoluted. Large projects usually have multiple people involved in writing the RFP. Lines of communication can become crossed when the statement of work is written and can be duplicated in the RFP, confusing the vendor. Often this causes the vendor to respond with multiple questions to define certain criteria, or it can cause a vendor to not submit a proposal believing that some criteria cannot be met. According to Andrea (2003) “The Agile RFP Process attempts to satisfy the competing goals of comprehensiveness and cost effectiveness while specifying the requirements for an RFP.” There are methods that help line out effective RFPs, but ultimately, you’re going to need someone on the project or a group of people on the project who know how to effectively articulate what the statement of work is going to be.
Biblical Comparison:
When dealing with RFPs we are looking for a statement of work. I can think of no better example than Noah. God may have not lined it out how we do today, but Noah understood what God was saying to him, and he accomplished the statement of work.
“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper,” (New International Version, 2015, Genesis 6: 14-16).
Questions:
If it was your first time writing an RFP, where would you start?
Do you think that the government RFPs are more tedious and harder to respond to
Student 2: James Malecki
Project Outsourcing, Monitoring, and Closure
Definition
Negotiation is defined as an interchange of offers, a back and forward conversation between dual parties in which each party will have to offer to other (Dharshini & Yashas, 2020).
Discussion
When working with others on a project, collaboration and cooperation are necessary. However, when working with partners, disagreements can happen frequently. This is where negotiation comes into play. It requires at least two parties to be willing to settle differences to find the best overall solution for everyone involved. This is done by finding common ground among the participants and not making the negotiation into a competition. Project managers accept this noncompetitive view of negotiation and realize that negotiation is essentially a two-part process: the first part deals with reaching an agreement; the second part is the implementation of that agreement (Larson & Gray, 2021). A successful negotiation means nothing if the action of the deal does not happen. This can cause bad feelings to arise amongst project participants and reduce any willingness to reengage in negotiations. In the event that negotiations devolve, and participants turn unreasonable, it becomes necessary to have the best alternative to a negotiated agreement or BATNA. BATNA is a measure to determine how much power an individual has within a negotiation. Having a high BATNA implies an advantage within a negotiation, while a low BATNA means being at a disadvantage. Research indicates that negotiators with valuable BATNAs set more ambitious goals and they make and receive more advantageous first offers, than do their poor BATNA counterparts (Pinkley, et al., 2019).
Biblical Comparison
The Bible is full of instructions telling us, not how to negotiate, but how to conduct ourselves during a negotiation. We see over and over God telling us to treat each other with love and respect. In 1 Corinthians 10:24 we read, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” The interpretation of this is that God does not want us to only think of ourselves during any situation. We should be considerate and think of what the other party needs. Through this thought process, we are more able to negotiate in good faith and work for the best outcome available.
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