Developing a Strategic Request For Proposal

The construction industry is a tough field to work in, especially once you’ve transitioned from the negotiation phase, which I refer to as the “marriage–honeymoon phase,” into the site execution phase, which I call the “living together” or “day-to-day reality phase.”

In order to minimize issues between the buyer (client) and the seller (contractor) during the construction execution process, a good start is important. Begin by defining how you want to manage your project: the execution strategy, preparing a very clear RFP (request for proposal, request for bid [RFB], or request for quotation [RFQ]), knowing your project well, and searching for the right contractors to bid on it.

Preparing the RFP

A piece of advice for the client when preparing an RFP package is: Do not use it to explain each and every detail of the project—it is not a “work breakdown structure.” This document should be used to give clear instructions to the bidders on how to bid on the project, an overview of the project scope, the management oversight requirements, and to list all the documents the bidders are to receive and use to issue the bid price.

 If there are items on the drawings and/or specifications that you are submitting to the bidders and that you are excluding from the project scope, then these …