Decision Gates and Color Team Reviews Ed Alexander, PPF.APMP Presenter: Vice President, Shipley Associates 1
Gates Versus Reviews Decision gates implement the opportunity funnel. Reviews improve pursuit of opportunities within it. 2 2
Gates vs. Reviews: What’s the Difference? Decision Gates Color Team Reviews Purpose: to make decisions Purpose: to improve quality of regarding allocation or thinking and documentation withdrawal of BD resources Performed by management, Led by executives staff, subject matter experts Address business and strategic Address tactical and execution issues issues Limited outcomes (advance, Wide variety of outcomes end, or defer) (qualitative and quantitative) Subordinates execute outcomes Staff and peers execute outcomes 3
Decision Gates Answer Critical Questions No. Phase Gate Questions 0 Market Campaign/ Is market niche congruent with goals in strategic Segmentation Marketing plan? 1 Long-Term Does opportunity merit expending resources to Interest Positioning research and assess it? 2 Opportunity Should we commit resources to developing capture Pursuit Assessment plan and influencing customer to prefer our solution? 3 Capture Preliminary Have capture activities positioned us favorably Planning Bid enough with customer to justify planning proposal? 4 Proposal Bid Is opportunity still worth pursuing and proposal Planning Validation worth preparing, considering final details of RFP? Should we submit completed proposal? Is 5 Proposal Proposal programmatic risk justified by probable financial Development Submittal reward? 6 Post-Submittal After negotiations, is programmatic risk still justified Final Offer Activities by financial reward considering terms of contract? 4
Reviews Improve Pursuits No. Phase Color Team Reviews 0 Market Segmentation 1 Long-Term Positioning 2 Opportunity Assessment Blue Team: Reviews initial capture planning, focusing on development of win strategy 3 Capture Planning Black Hat: Predicts competitors’ solutions to support strategy development and infuse proposal with competitive focus 5
Reviews Improve Pursuits (continued) No. Phase Color Team Reviews 4 Proposal Planning Pink Team: Reviews storyboards and mockups for compliance and execution of win strategy Red Team: Reviews proposal to predict scoring and improve 5 Proposal effectiveness Development Green Team: Reviews pricing, consistency across volumes Gold Team: Reviews final proposal and price 6 Post-Submittal White Hat: Documents lessons learned to improve capture Activities and proposal processes 6
Every Milestone Fits a Timeline Draft RFP Customer Proposals Award Milestones Due Final RFP Market Proposal Post- Long-Term Opportunity Capture Proposal Phase Segmenta- Develop- Submittal Positioning Assessment Planning Planning tion ment Activities 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Decision Marketing/ Preliminary Bid Proposal Final Interest Pursuit Gates Campaign Bid Validation Submittal Offer Pink Team Blue Team Red Team Color Team White Hat Reviews Green Team Black Hat Gold Team • Multi-year • Annual • Opportun- • Capture • Capture • Story- • Proposal strategic operating ity analysis plan plan boards revision Key plan plan report • Story- • Mockups • Lessons Documents • Marketing boards learned • Final draft plan • Mockups proposal • Contract 7
Decision Gates Decision gates are business development milestones at which executives decide whether to advance an opportunity to the next phase or end pursuit. Some persons are very decisive when it comes to avoiding decisions. 8
Good Decision Gates Are Structured • Executive • Contract value • Operations • Customer • Business development • Similarity to other work manager • Strategic impact • Capture manager • Corporate authority • Business developer Roles Level Execution Planning • Limit presenters • Identify category • Follow agenda • Invite participants • Eliminate opinion, bias, ego • Prepare inputs • Avoid over-focus on technical solution • Develop recommendations • Identify decision-maker 9
Understand Each Role Business Capture Business Role Executive Operations Development Manager Developer Manager • Define • Assign • Engage • Advise Primary • Decide • Monitor • Inform • Prospect Duties • Support • Lead • Collaborate • Execute • Be proactive • Know and support process • Cultivate market knowledge • Communicate vision Tips for • Be open Success • Make gates a priority • Be honest • Respond to facts • Involve others between gates 10
Gate 0: Marketing/Campaign Decision The Marketing/Campaign Decision determines whether a potential market segment or customer fits your organization’s strategic focus. 11
Phase 1: Long-Term Positioning • Establish place in market Decide Decision to • Influence potential customers’ specific enter market perceptions opportunity is of interest • Prospect for leads 12
Gate 1: Interest Decision The Interest Decision verifies that an identified opportunity fits your organization’s strategic direction and capability. 13
Phase 2: Opportunity Assessment • Research opportunity, customer, and competition to determine win Decision to Decide to potential assess pursue opportunity opportunity • Confirm alignment with capabilities and strategic direction 14
Gate 2: Pursuit Decision The Pursuit Decision analyzes customer, opportunity, and competitor intelligence to decide whether to advance to capture planning. 15
Pursuit Decision Questions Category Questions Do we have adequate business development resources to aggressively develop the opportunity? Are there acceptable profit margins or other strategic reasons for Business Case wanting to win? Does the opportunity conflict with other contracted or expected work? Do we know the key decision-makers and their issues and hot Decision-Makers, buttons? Issues/Hot Buttons Do the key decision-makers know us? Do we have a clear understanding of our anticipated role? Contractor Role and Are there any potential conflicts of interest for us? Responsibilities Have we identified probable competitors? Competition Do customer requirements match our competencies? Have we established a price to compete? Competitive Position Do we have a baseline solution aligned to the price to compete? 16
Phase 3: Capture Planning • Prepare, review, and implement capture plan to influence Decision to Decide to customer pursue plan proposal • Move from unknown to known to preferred position with customer 17
Gate 3: Preliminary Bid Decision The Preliminary Bid Decision assesses win strategy, competitive position, technical solution, and price to win, determining whether to plan a proposal. 18
Capture Plan Evolves to Support Progression Long-Term Opportunity Capture Proposal Proposal Post- Phase: Positioning Assessment Planning Planning Development Submittal Preliminary Bid Proposal Final Decision Gate: Interest Pursuit Bid Validation Submittal Offer Executive Summary Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated External Analysis Opportunity Description Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Updated Customer Profile Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Customer Issues and Hot Buttons Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Competitor Intelligence Basic Detailed Updated Updated Our Competitive Position Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Bidder Comparison Chart Basic Detailed Updated Updated Internal Analysis Our Estimate of Price to Win Basic Detailed Updated Updated Our Technical/Management Solution Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Teaming and Subcontracting Basic Detailed Updated Updated Strategy Development Leverage Our Strengths Basic Detailed Updated Updated Mitigate Our Weaknesses Basic Detailed Updated Updated Exploit Competitor Weaknesses Basic Detailed Updated Updated Neutralize Competitor Strengths Basic Detailed Updated Updated Action Plans Customer Contact Plan Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Intelligence Collection Plan Basic Detailed Updated Updated Updated Contingency Plan Basic Detailed Updated Updated Solution Development Plan Basic Detailed Updated Updated Customer Risk Management Plan Basic Detailed Updated Updated 19
Make the Most of the Early Stages Draft RFP Your Opportunity to Influence Proposals Due Award Final RFP Market Proposal Post- Long-Term Opportunity Capture Proposal Segmenta- Develop- Submittal Positioning Assessment Planning Planning tion ment Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 Marketing/ Preliminary Bid Proposal Final Interest Pursuit Campaign Bid Validation Submittal Offer Pink Team Blue Team Red Team White Hat Green Team Black Hat Gold Team Availability of Opportunity Information 20
Phase 4: Proposal Planning • Refine solution and price to win • Convert capture strategies into Decision to proposal messages Decide to bid plan proposal • Begin preliminary content planning 21
Gate 4: Bid Validation Decision The Bid Validation Decision confirms your tentative plan to prepare a bid after seeing the final request for proposals. 22
Recommend
More recommend
