Comments on: Selling security to government may be profitable… http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/ Commentary on the State of Information Security Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:22:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/comment-page-1/#comment-19836 David Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:29:24 +0000 http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/#comment-19836 Government RFPs, like any RFPs, require you to be selective. Even if the project seems to be one that you'd knock out of the ballpark, the team you'd be working with and the overhead that goes with government might make it unprofitable. Be selective and you'll see a higher ROI, not just on your proposals that win, but on the projects as well. In the spirit of being selective, check out the <a href="http://www.rfpdb.com" rel="nofollow">RFP Database</a>; lots of projects are listed there daily and the site is free to use. Government RFPs, private RFPs, and non-profits... Government RFPs, like any RFPs, require you to be selective. Even if the project seems to be one that you’d knock out of the ballpark, the team you’d be working with and the overhead that goes with government might make it unprofitable. Be selective and you’ll see a higher ROI, not just on your proposals that win, but on the projects as well. In the spirit of being selective, check out the RFP Database; lots of projects are listed there daily and the site is free to use. Government RFPs, private RFPs, and non-profits…

]]> By: An Information Security Place » Blog Archive » How to respond to RFP’s http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/comment-page-1/#comment-19664 An Information Security Place » Blog Archive » How to respond to RFP’s Tue, 21 Aug 2007 19:59:10 +0000 http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/#comment-19664 [...] wrote a while back about how selling to government sucks because of the RFP process you typically have to go through.  Well, my boss just pointed out this book to me.  [...] [...] wrote a while back about how selling to government sucks because of the RFP process you typically have to go through.  Well, my boss just pointed out this book to me.  [...]

]]> By: Security Incite: Analysis on Information Security http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/comment-page-1/#comment-1388 Security Incite: Analysis on Information Security Tue, 17 Oct 2006 08:33:30 +0000 http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/#comment-1388 <strong>The Daily Incite - October 17, 2006...</strong> October 17, 2006 - #136 Good Morning: I've got an early flight today, so you East Coast folks in the US can enjoy some Incite with your morning coffee (as opposed to during your mid-morning potty break). As I alluded to yesterday, McAfee anno... The Daily Incite – October 17, 2006…

October 17, 2006 – #136 Good Morning: I've got an early flight today, so you East Coast folks in the US can enjoy some Incite with your morning coffee (as opposed to during your mid-morning potty break). As I alluded to yesterday, McAfee anno…

]]> By: Michael Farnum http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/comment-page-1/#comment-1384 Michael Farnum Tue, 17 Oct 2006 03:00:15 +0000 http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/#comment-1384 I am inclined to agree with you, Sam. That is exactly how this one looks. I guess we will see! Michael I am inclined to agree with you, Sam. That is exactly how this one looks. I guess we will see!

Michael

]]> By: SamVR http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/comment-page-1/#comment-1346 SamVR Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:38:40 +0000 http://infosecplace.com/blog/2006/10/15/selling-security-to-government-may-be-profitable/#comment-1346 RFP's are notorious for being biased. It is well understood by most vendors that, if you did not participate to helping build the RFP (by way of previous discussions about your solution or even writing the thing yourself) then you are not likely to win it. And - for the record - making the cut in the first or second round does NOT necessarily mean anything, but is many times just a way for the customer to bide their time (for whatever reason, i.e. budget, internal issues, etc.) before making the "official decision". I am sure there are RFP's out there that are, in fact, unbiased, but given the description you provide in this case, it is probably not. RFI's are much better! That is what is even more frustrating: Responding to an RFP you know you won't win! RFP’s are notorious for being biased. It is well understood by most vendors that, if you did not participate to helping build the RFP (by way of previous discussions about your solution or even writing the thing yourself) then you are not likely to win it. And – for the record – making the cut in the first or second round does NOT necessarily mean anything, but is many times just a way for the customer to bide their time (for whatever reason, i.e. budget, internal issues, etc.) before making the “official decision”. I am sure there are RFP’s out there that are, in fact, unbiased, but given the description you provide in this case, it is probably not. RFI’s are much better!

That is what is even more frustrating: Responding to an RFP you know you won’t win!

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