Roles and Responsibilities

RFP Process

January 25, 2019

Prepared for:

Netsync Internal Teams

This document contains confidential information provided by Netsync Network Solutions and is intended for internal use only.
Netsync Network Solutions Netsync Internal Teams
RFP Process
Roles and Responsibilities

Table of Contents
Deadlines ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Account Manager’s Responsibilities .......................................................................................... 6
RFP Coordinator’s Responsibilities .............................................................................................. 8
Inside Sales Representative’s Responsibilities ......................................................................... 11
Solutions Architect’s Responsibilities ........................................................................................ 13
Project Manager’s Responsibilities ........................................................................................... 15

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RFP Process
Roles and Responsibilities

Deadlines
The deadlines below will be standard for most RFPs. Some deadlines may need to be assigned earlier
due to external circumstances. In those cases, the updated timeline will be communicated during the
Kickoff Call or Action Items email process.

Internal Due Date – RFP Coordinator

Workload Dependent
The RFP Coordinator will set the internal due date in CRM and notify the team through an Initiation
Email. In general, RFPs that have to be delivered must be shipped out from the Netsync office 48 hours
before the actual due date. The internal due date is in place to allow 24 hours for the Technical Editor to
edit the draft and for the Account Manager (AM) and Solutions Architect (SA) to review the final
document. The RFP Coordinator will then print, package, and ship the proposal(s).

Final Pricing – Inside Sales Representative

Due by Internal Due Date
Completed pricing is due from the Inside Sales Representative (ISR) to the RFP Coordinator in customer-
facing format by the internal due date.

Prerequisites
 Draft pricing sheet

Escalation Procedure
The RFP Coordinator will send an email to the Inside Sales Manager, the Practice Manager, and the AM,
if this deadline is not met to allow the Inside Sales Manager and the Practice Manager to determine
what the delay may be and to give them a chance to step in and alleviate overwhelmed schedules or
escalate with parties that may be outside of our control.

Timeline – Project Manager

Due 1 Business Day Before Internal Due Date
If a timeline is required, the Project Manager (PM) will complete the timeline and submit in CRM 1
business day before the internal due date.

Prerequisites
 SOW/PSE approval

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Draft Pricing Sheet – Solutions Architect

Due 2 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
The ISR will need 48 hours to complete final pricing and receive approvals from the Inside Sales Manager
and AM. Therefore, Cisco estimates and draft pricing sheets must be submitted 2 business days before
the internal due date.
Note: All manufacturer quotes should also be gathered by this date. If the ISR needs to collect the
manufacturer quotes, then the SA must have the BOMs for that manufacturer to the ISR in advance.

Prerequisites
 SOW/PSE approval
 Design and list pricing

Escalation Procedure
If this deadline is not met, the ISR will send an email to the SA, Inside Sales Manager, Practice Manager,
AM, and RFP Coordinator for a status update.

References – Account Manager

Due 2 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
Provide approved references 2 business days before the internal due date.

Escalation Procedure
The RFP Coordinator will send a Warning Email highlighting pending references and copy the Corporate
Editor and respective Sales Director/Regional Manager.

Cover Letter – Account Manager

Due 2 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
If a custom cover letter is required, then the AM will provide the cover letter 2 business days before the
internal due date.

Escalation Procedure
The RFP Coordinator will send a Warning Email highlighting pending cover letter and copy the Corporate
Editor and respective Sales Director/Regional Manager.

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Technical Documentation – Solutions Architect

Due 3 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
In cases where the RFP response will include technical documents beyond the standard SOW, e.g.,
technical summaries, answers to technical questions, etc., the remaining technical documents must be
submitted in CRM 3 business days before the internal due date to allow the Technical Editor time to
edit.

Escalation Procedure
The RFP Coordinator will send a Warning Email highlighting pending technical documentation and copy
the Corporate Editor and respective Sales Director/Regional Manager.

Total Cost Estimate for Bid Bond – Inside Sales Representative

Due 4 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
In cases where final quote totals are unknown, the ISR will work with the SA and AM to determine a high
estimate to submit for bid bond requests. In general, it takes the bonding company several days to
process a bid bond. The RFP Coordinator will need to pick up the original bid bond from the local office
and have it signed.

SOW/PSE – Solutions Architect

Due 4 Business Days Before Internal Due Date
To allow 24 hours for the approval process, the SA will need to submit the SOW/PSE for approval 4
business days before the internal due date.

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Account Manager’s Responsibilities

It is the AM’s responsibility to provide all RFP documentation from the customer and to coordinate
strategy, pricing, and design efforts, as well as attend any necessary pre-proposal meetings.

RFPs entered with fewer than two-weeks’ notice require Sales Director/Regional Manager approval. If
approved, notify the RFP Coordinator via email and copy the respective Sales Director/Regional
Manager.

1. Read RFP
 Understand bonds that are required:
o Bid bond.
o Payment and performance bond.
 Understand the RFP submittal process (portal, email, or hardcopy):
o For email submissions, communicate with the RFP Coordinator to determine who
will submit the response.
 Review requested pricing format.
 Understand technologies that will be included as part of the response.
 Communicate with the SA and ISR to determine all of the individual components that will be
included in the quote and determine who is gathering the pricing for each item.

2. Create opportunity
 Make sure to enter the RFP Due Date. If you do not include the due date, the opportunity
will not appear on the RFP dashboard.
Note: The RFP Coordinator will assign the Internal Due Date.

3. Flag the appropriate indicators in CRM

 Enter the Bid type, Question Due Date, Practice/Technology, etc. If applicable, flag Sales
Engineer Request, Managed Services Request, E-Rate, etc.

4. Upload RFP and addendums to CRM

 Upload RFP to the RFP folder in CRM.
 Upload addendums, as issued, to the RFP – Addendums folder in CRM.
o Change the Addendum Included count on the opportunity; a CRM notification will
be sent to the team.
Note: If you happen to reach more than 10, cycle back to a count of 1.

5. Attend pre-proposal meetings

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6. Submit questions by Q&A deadline

 Determine the method in which questions need to be submitted.
 Check with both the SA and the RFP Coordinator to determine the list of questions to
submit.

7. Work with any subcontractors

 Work with any subcontractors to gather pricing and scope elements that will be submitted
as part of the response. Send this information to the ISR, SA, and RFP Coordinator, as
necessary, to be inserted into specific sections of the response.

8. Provide references
 Obtain AM approval for references and provide all required information.

9. Provide cover letter

 Use the latest cover letter template to create your custom cover letter.

10. Work with the ISR and SA on the strategy and pricing structure

11. Review and approve final pricing and RFP response

 Upon approval, notify the RFP Coordinator and flag Account Manager Sign-off in CRM.

12. Update opportunity status

 Awarded Opportunity
o Once a response has been submitted, the RFP Coordinator will flag the RFP Status as
Complete. However, the opportunity remains open until it is closed as won or lost. If
Netsync receives an award notice but the client has not submitted a PO, upload the
award notice to CRM and update the RFP Status to Awarded.
 Won Opportunity
o Upon receipt of PO, locate the opportunity in CRM and click on CLOSE AS WON.
Note: Purchasing will flag won opportunities but you are responsible for tracking the
status of all opportunities under your accounts.
 Lost Opportunity
o For lost opportunities, click on CLOSE AS LOST and select a Status Reason from the
drop‐down menu (e.g., No Bid, Project Cancelled, Wrong Contact, etc.).

13. Submit post-award documentation

 Send agreements for services, contracts, and contract amendments to legal for review.
 If the client requests a certificate of insurance, send the request to Patrick Strickler, Office
Manager, and provide the client’s full name and address.
 Send requests for 1295 forms to # Proposal Coordinators.
 Provide a signed contract for payment and performance bond requests.

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RFP Coordinator’s Responsibilities

It is the RFP Coordinator’s responsibility to complete all forms, create and format the RFP response, and
gather all elements that will be included.

1. Read RFP
 Understand bonds that are required:
o Bid bond.
o Payment and performance bond.
 Understand the RFP submittal process (portal, email, or hardcopy):
o Portal – Communicate with the ISR to determine who will complete each portal
submittal element.
o Email – Communicate with the AM to determine who will email the final response.
o Hardcopy – Communicate with the AM to determine where it will ship and what the
necessary shipment times are (update internal due dates as necessary to meet
shipment dates).
 Review requested pricing format.
 Determine if standard due dates will allow all timelines to be met.
 Determine if there is any ambiguity in the way the response needs to be submitted. If so,
submit the question(s) to the AM to submit as part of the Q&A process.

2. Validate that all resources are assigned

 If resources remain unassigned 3 days after opportunity is opened, escalate to appropriate
management to assign a resource (Inside Sales Manager, Practice Manager, etc.).
 Determine if a timeline will be required.
o If a timeline is required, flag Timeline Required in CRM.
 Determine if managed services will be required.
o If managed services are required, ensure the AM flags Managed Services Request in
CRM.

3. Send Initiation Email

 Send the Initiation Email to the team within 48 hours of assigning yourself to the RFP
opportunity.

4. Create Action Items list

 Create Action Items list and manage the full process from start to finish.
 Upload Action Items list to the RFP – Action Items and Notes folder in CRM. Email to team
or present during Kickoff Call.

5. Hold Kickoff and Status Update Calls for complex/large-scale RFPs

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6. Create RFP response draft

 Use the latest RFP template to create the RFP response draft.
 Gather all required elements throughout the process, and upload draft to the RFP – Draft
folder in CRM.

7. Acquire bid bond, when necessary

 Complete the Bid Bond Request form and send the request to the bonding company.
 Pick up the bid bond from the bonding company’s local office and have the original copy
signed.

8. Complete all forms

9. Send Warning Email, when necessary

 When response elements are not received by the necessary deadlines, follow the
appropriate escalation procedure.
 Highlight outstanding items and send the Warning Email to the assigned resources 24 hours
before the internal due date. Copy Corporate Editor and respective Sales Director/Regional
Manager.

10. Complete RFP response draft

 Submit completed RFP response draft to Technical Editor for final review by flagging
Submit for Corp. Editing in CRM.
 Technical Editors will mark Corp. Editor Approved when they have reviewed the final
Word version of the template.
 Convert to PDF and insert any other documents (e.g., network diagrams, data sheets,
certificate of insurance, pricing, etc.).

11. Send final document to AM to review

12. Finalize RFP response

 Upload final version to the RFP – Final folder and flag Final Proposal Ready in CRM.

13. Submit RFP response via email or portal, when necessary

 Upload a copy of the email or portal notification in the RFP – Final folder.

14. If required, prepare and ship proposals package and confirm

delivery
 Upload a copy of the delivery notification in the RFP – Final folder.

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15. Verify Gross Profit and Est. Revenue fields in CRM are updated
 Flag the RFP Status as Complete.

16. Coordinate best and final offer (BAFO)

 Change RFP Status back to In Progress.
 Enter the BAFO due date in the RFP Due Date field.
 Manage the BAFO submittal process.

17. Provide post-award documents, when necessary

 Complete 1295 forms and submit payment and performance bond requests.

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Inside Sales Representative’s Responsibilities

It is the ISR’s responsibility to complete customer-facing pricing and provide basic quality assurance (QA)
on the quote.

1. Read RFP
 Understand bonds that are required:
o Bid bond – Work with SA to determine the total cost estimate for the bid bond
request.
o Payment and performance bond – If required, add this to the pricing checklist.
Include pricing in final quote and mark off on the checklist once complete.
 Understand the RFP submittal process (portal, email, or hardcopy).
 Review requested pricing format.
 If extra time will be needed to complete requested pricing format, communicate to SA and
RFP Coordinator when draft pricing sheet is due.
 Communicate with the SA and AM to determine all the individual components that will be
included in the quote, and determine who is gathering the pricing for each item. List these
items on the pricing checklist to verify that all are included in the final quote once complete.

2. Create Cisco Deal IDs

 Determine if there is an existing Opportunity Incentive Program (OIP) first. If so, apply to
existing OIP.

3. Gather manufacturer pricing

 The SA or AM will do this in some cases, so communicate early in the process with the SA
and AM to determine what pricing components are needed and who will be providing each.
 Gather the necessary BOMs from the SA to obtain the manufacturing quotes that you will be
responsible for gathering.
 Verify manufacturer pricing is placed in the Pricing – Manufacturer Pricing folder in CRM.
o It is your responsibility to provide QA and verify that all required final manufacturer
pricing is in this folder before completing final pricing, regardless of which resource
gathered the pricing.

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4. Complete final pricing sheet

 Plug pricing structure into draft pricing sheet.
 Provide QA validation of BOM:
o The SA will submit a Cisco Estimate ID with the draft pricing sheet, as well as run the
Cisco BOM add-in on the draft pricing sheet. Validate that the Cisco BOM in the
draft pricing sheet matches the Cisco Estimate ID.
 Add payment and performance bond pricing, if required.
 Send pricing sheet to AM and Inside Sales Manager for final review.
 Format Excel document:
o Hide columns that will not be customer facing.
o Validate that necessary headers are correct (Client Name, RFX Title, and RFX #). If
there are multiple pricing options, include the option name within the header.
o Format page breaks to guarantee all columns will print on a single page.
o Highlight customer-facing tabs green.
o When an Excel spreadsheet is required as part of the response, make a customer-
facing copy without any formulas and hidden columns, etc.
 Complete pricing checklist.
 Upload final pricing sheet and checklist to Pricing – Final Pricing folder in CRM and flag
Pricing Completed in the opportunity to send the necessary alerts.

5. Unlock quote(s), when necessary

 When supplying final pricing in quote format, provide an unlocked version to be added to
the final document.

6. Fill out RFP pricing forms and enter pricing elements for portal
submittals
 Ensure you have the correct login credentials for portal entry.

7. Update Est. Revenue and Gross Profit fields

 If multiple options are being submitted, enter the lowest pricing option.
 If multiple quotes are being submitted for an overall total, combine all quote and GP totals.
 Upload pricing option into QuoteWerks and the CRM fields will automatically update.

8. BAFO
 Upload completed BAFO pricing sheet to Pricing – Final Pricing folder in CRM.

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Solutions Architect’s Responsibilities

It is the SA’s responsibility to provide a complete design, the draft pricing sheets, and all technical
documentation that will be part of the response.

1. Read RFP
 Understand bonds that are required:
o Bid bond – Work with ISR to determine the total cost estimate for the bid bond
request.
 Understand the RFP submittal process (portal, email, or hardcopy).
 Note technical documentation requirements.
 Review requested pricing format to clearly understand everything the customer is
requesting and the format it is required in.
 Communicate with the ISR to confirm the draft pricing sheet due date.
o Plan accordingly to have final BOMs/list pricing/approved PSE all completed before
this date to allow for time to submit.
 Communicate with the ISR and AM all the individual components that will be included in the
quote, and determine who is gathering the pricing for each item.

2. Question submittal
 Determine any questions that need to be submitted for clarification.
 Work with the AM to determine who will submit the questions.

3. Complete design, PSE, and SOW

 Upload PSE, SOW, and BOM to the Engineering – TBA folder and flag PSE Attached, SOW
Attached, and BOM Attached in CRM.

4. Create estimate and third-party BOMs

 Manufacturer pricing:
o Gather pricing on items you took ownership of in initial planning. Upload all final
manufacturer pricing to the Pricing – Manufacturer Pricing folder in CRM.
o Provide BOMs to ISR and AM to gather pricing they will take ownership of.
 Insert Cisco Estimate ID in the Cisco Estimate ID field in CRM.

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5. Complete draft pricing sheet

 Guarantee all items required in the quote are in place and the pricing sheet is formatted to
align with the sections required in the customer-facing format.
 Align with customer price sheets/forms.
 Separate sections based on pricing discount.
Note: You will need to receive final pricing or know pricing structure ahead of time. If
manufacturer pricing is not completed by the time the draft pricing sheet is due,
communicate with the ISR and AM to determine how it will look.
 Upload draft pricing sheet to the Pricing – DRAFT folder in CRM, and flag Pricing Sheet
Attached in the opportunity to send the necessary alerts.

6. Complete supporting technical documentation

 Complete any other supporting technical documentation that is required or that you would
like submitted with the response.
 Upload to the Engineering – TBA folder in CRM and flag Technical Documentation
Completed in the opportunity to send the necessary alerts.
o Technical Documentation Completed should only be set to Yes once all SA-required
written elements are completed (SOW, PSE, and technical documentation).

7. BAFO
 If required, update SOW and PSE and submit for approval.

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Project Manager’s Responsibilities

It is the PM’s responsibility to provide a timeline, when required, for the RFP response.

1. Complete timeline
 Once the Timeline Required field is flagged in CRM, a notification will be sent to the PMO.
The PM will need to assign themselves to the opportunity in CRM under the Project
Manager field.
 When the SOW and PSE have been approved by the Tech Doc Approver for this opportunity,
a notification will be sent to the assigned PM. Use the PSE and SOW that will be located in
the Engineering folder to create the timeline.
 Upload completed timeline to the RFP folder and flag Timeline Completed in the
opportunity to send the necessary alerts.

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