Each year, the U.S. federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars purchasing products and services.*
Unfortunately, those factors cannot be changed in the bidding process. The bottom line: there are numerous lucrative digital signage projects that are in the best interest of a company to prepare a bid.
Follow these 4 tips to help you decide if the potential project is worth the time and effort of formulating a bid.
1. End User
Does the ‘Request for Proposal,’ also known as the RFP, provide adequate background of the situation and/or disclose the end user? Companies that provide a well-rounded description of themselves will help attract quality bidders. Avoid expending too much effort on RFPs that give little to no information about the end user. Jumping through hoops for a less than stellar proposal will result in wasted time, money, and manpower.
2. Scope of Work
Bidder beware! Make sure the RFP has a detailed description of the digital signage project. The document should include specifics about the signage network and how the system will be utilized. Having a good understanding of the scope of work will truly legitimize the project. Again, do not waste time and resources preparing for a project that cannot produce these details.
3. Ability to Ask Questions
It is important to know if there is a question and answer portion of the bid. Sometimes these are held in public meetings or you can submit questions to the point person indicated in the bid documents. For example, in the world of digital signage, electronics are ever-changing! The bid specification may be built around an LCD or media player that is end of life or completely obsolete and, therefore, no longer available. With the ability to ask questions, you will know if you can recommend and supply pricing on comparable products that are currently available on the market.
4. Feedback
The time and effort that goes into bidding a government project is quite in-depth. Be sure that the person(s) serving as a point of contact will provide feedback and frequent updates on the status of the project. Look for clearly defined “next steps” that will let you know when the project is to be awarded (it could be months or years). It is helpful to know if the winning bidder will be chosen from the first round of submittals or if there is a further review process that is narrowed down to 2 or 3 companies.
It is important to keep in mind that many other factors can affect a government bid. The ability to submit change orders, timeline (proposed completion date), and the overall impact on other pertinent projects your company is currently working on will also determine if a particular digital signage project is a perfect match for your company. If you have the resources and necessary staff, it is always a good decision to entertain how the signage project can be accomplished, how much time and effort will be needed, and, above all, how fruitful it will be for your company.
For More Information:
-- 5 Advantages of Deploying Outdoor, All-Weather LCD Enclosures
-- How to Plan for an LCD Enclosure Installation
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