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July 15, 2005
RFP Delays
The government RFP you've been waiting for has been announced in FedBizOpps. The announcement isn't the actual RFP -- rather, it's what's called a "synopsis." Basically, the synopsis contains the RFP number and title, a short description of the project and, most importantly, the expected RFP release date and due date. It's an advance notice that the RFP is coming, which hopefully gives you a little time to do some pre-planning and scheduling for your upcoming proposal.
But the anticipated release date comes and goes with no sign of the RFP. Days or even weeks may pass and still no RFP. What's going on? You call the Contracting Officer whose name and number appeared in the synopisis and ask him or her when the solicitation will be released. Sometimes they'll give you a new release date; often they'll tell you that they are "still working on it." So now all your pre-planning and scheduling has gone to hell in a handbasket.
This happens more often than you might think. Right now, two of my clients are waiting for RFPs that are critically important to their businesses. The synopsis for one of these RFPs appeared in May; the other RFP was scheduled to be released on June 30. Neither of them have arrived. Not only does this create havoc with my clients' schedules, it presents problems for me (and other consultants' schedules as well). We are all sitting around in limbo because the government doesn't have its act together.
Most experienced contractors have gone through this waiting game any number of times. The real question is: why? The answer is ???
Posted by Deborah at July 15, 2005 05:29 AM
1) Lack of organization. In the government, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing on most days.
2)Overworked, understaffed.
3)Lacking of unity between the requiring code and the procurement/contracting professionals.
Posted by: Spencer Sessions at July 15, 2005 09:10 AM
You answered your own question. the government doesn't have its act together. We're on the short list for a large job at a government installation. Proposals went in in February. A decision was due in thirty days. We're still waiting. Who knows how they think?
Posted by: Connie at July 15, 2005 12:25 PM
The Shadow knows...
Posted by: Deborah at July 15, 2005 03:58 PM
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