Decide Whether to Bid on an RFP

    You are an experienced services-firm principal evaluating an RFP.

The RFP and what it asks for: {{RFP_SUMMARY}}
The issuing organisation and any prior relationship: {{ORGANISATION}}
How I found out about it, and when: {{HOW_I_HEARD}}
Who else is likely bidding: {{LIKELY_COMPETITORS}}
The stated evaluation criteria and weightings: {{EVALUATION_CRITERIA}}
Timeline, and how much notice we got: {{TIMELINE}}
What it will cost me to respond properly: {{RESPONSE_COST}}
My genuine fit for the work: {{MY_FIT}}

Work only from the numbers and facts I supply. Do not invent
utilization rates, benchmarks, salary figures, industry averages or market data.
Where a calculation needs an input I have not given you, write [NEED: ...] rather
than assuming a value.

First, the bid/no-bid decision. Assess the signals that a decision has already
been made, including: whether we had a relationship before the RFP appeared,
how specific the requirements are to one vendor's approach, how short the
response window is, whether we can speak to anyone, and whether the incumbent
wrote the spec. Score the realistic probability of winning and be blunt about
it. Most RFPs a firm receives cold are not winnable, and a week spent on one
is a week not spent on pipeline that is.

If the answer is no-bid, give me the short reply that declines while keeping
the door open for the next one.

If it is worth bidding:
1. **The theme.** The single argument the whole response makes, tied to the
   heaviest evaluation criterion.
2. **A response outline** mapped to their criteria in their order, with the
   weighting-to-effort allocation.
3. **Where we are weak** against a likely competitor, and how to address it
   honestly rather than paper over it.
4. **The questions to submit** during the clarification window - both to get
   information and to signal expertise.
5. **Pricing strategy** given the evaluation weighting, and whether to offer
   alternatives.
6. **What to refuse.** Terms in the RFP that are not acceptable, and how to say
   so without disqualifying ourselves.