Building RFPs with the best response

Responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) is never a one-person job. Whether you’re pursuing a multimillion-dollar government contract or pitching services to a private-sector client, the structure of your RFP response team can make or break your chances of winning. To consistently deliver compelling, competitive, and compliant proposals, your team needs to be built strategically—around roles, responsibilities, expertise, and collaboration.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into how to build RFPs with the best response team structure, including best practices, key personnel, and actionable frameworks you can implement today to drive success.

Table of Contents

1. What is an RFP and Why Response Teams Matter
2. Why Team Structure Is Critical to RFP Success
3. Essential Roles in an RFP Response Team
4. Organizational Models for RFP Response Teams
5. The Role of Collaboration and Communication
6. Best Practices for Assembling Your RFP Team
7. Using Technology to Optimize the RFP Team Workflow
8. Common Pitfalls in Team Structure—and How to Avoid Them
9. Sample RFP Response Team Structure
10. How to Evolve Your RFP Team Over Time
11. Conclusion

What is an RFP and Why Response Teams Matter

An RFP (Request for Proposal) is a formal document issued by an organization seeking to procure goods or services. Vendors respond with detailed proposals outlining how they plan to meet the requirements, including technical, financial, and operational details.

The RFP response process is time-sensitive, complex, and high-stakes. Companies often face tight deadlines, competitive evaluation criteria, and the need for absolute compliance. This is where a well-structured response team becomes essential. With the right people in the right roles, companies can streamline content creation, ensure quality, and submit proposals that are both strategic and polished.

Why Team Structure Is Critical to RFP Success

Here’s the thing: a weak team structure can doom your response before you even start. Without clear responsibilities, communication channels, and workflows, teams fall into chaos. You risk late submissions, inconsistent messaging, compliance errors, or flat-out disqualification.

On the other hand, a well-structured team:

• Moves faster and more efficiently
• Produces higher-quality content
• Improves win rates
• Reduces internal stress and burnout
• Builds institutional knowledge over time

Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise, structuring your team correctly is a key differentiator in today’s hyper-competitive bidding landscape.

Essential Roles in an RFP Response Team

While structures may vary by organization, the following key roles are essential in any high-performing RFP team:

1. Executive Sponsor

The C-level or senior leader who ensures alignment with strategic goals. They’re responsible for approving go/no-go decisions and providing high-level direction.

2. Proposal Manager

The quarterback of the RFP response. This person oversees the entire process—from kickoff to submission—managing timelines, assignments, and compliance.

3. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Your technical and business experts who provide content for specific sections, such as solution design, implementation, or service delivery.

4. Writers and Editors

They translate technical jargon into compelling narrative, ensure tone consistency, and eliminate grammar or formatting issues.

5. Graphic Designers

Responsible for creating visuals, charts, and branding elements that elevate your proposal’s professional look and feel.

6. Pricing Analysts

They handle cost modeling, pricing strategy, and profitability, ensuring your proposal is both competitive and sustainable.

7. Reviewers

Often part of a Color Review Team (e.g., Pink, Red, Gold), they ensure the content meets quality standards, aligns with strategy, and answers all RFP requirements.

8. Legal/Contracts

They ensure compliance with terms and conditions, and that liability and risk are mitigated.

9. Procurement Liaison

Often overlooked, this person communicates with the issuing organization, seeking clarification and managing Q&A.

Organizational Models for RFP Response Teams

Your RFP team structure may vary depending on your company size and industry. Here are three common models:

Centralized Team

A dedicated proposal team handles all RFP responses across business units. This model is efficient and consistent, often found in large organizations.

Decentralized Team

Each business unit or department manages its own responses. This works well for highly specialized industries but may lack standardization.

Hybrid Team

A core proposal team collaborates with departmental SMEs, combining consistency with flexibility. This is often the best of both worlds.

The Role of Collaboration and Communication

A well-structured team is only as good as its ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. Use the following methods:

• Kickoff meetings to align on scope and strategy
• Daily or weekly standups to track progress
• Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Asana
• Version control with SharePoint or Google Drive
• Clear escalation paths for conflict resolution

Remember, communication breakdowns are the #1 cause of RFP delays.

Best Practices for Assembling Your RFP Team

Here’s how to build your dream RFP team from the ground up:

1. Align team members early with clear roles
2. Use a RACI matrix to define responsibilities
3. Assign a backup for each critical role
4. Develop a proposal calendar with milestones
5. Set up a central knowledge repository
6. Create templates and checklists for reusability
7. Schedule mock reviews to practice evaluation
8. Encourage a culture of accountability and feedback

Tip: Use Win/Loss analysis to refine your team’s structure over time.

Using Technology to Optimize the RFP Team Workflow

Let’s face it—RFPs are process-heavy. Without the right tech stack, your team will waste precious hours. Leverage tools like:

• RFPIO – Centralizes content and automates responses
• Loopio – Ideal for reusing previous content
• Qvidian – Enterprise-level RFP automation
• Trello or Monday.com – Project tracking and task management
• Grammarly or Hemingway – Editing and tone checking

Many of these tools offer WordPress integrations, so you can embed RFP portals or update team dashboards directly on your site.

Common Pitfalls in Team Structure—and How to Avoid Them

Avoid these common mistakes:

Proactive planning is your best defense.

Sample RFP Response Team Structure

Here’s a sample team hierarchy for a mid-size tech company responding to a government RFP:

yamlCopyEditExecutive Sponsor: Jane Doe (COO)
Proposal Manager: John Smith
SMEs: Dev Lead, Security Engineer, PMO Lead
Writers: 2 full-time proposal writers
Editor: 1 QA reviewer
Design: In-house graphic designer
Pricing: Finance Director + Analyst
Legal: Corporate Counsel
Reviewer Team: Red Team & Gold Team Leads

This team can handle end-to-end response in 3–4 weeks for a 100+ page proposal.

How to Evolve Your RFP Team Over Time

The most successful teams aren’t static—they adapt and evolve:

• Analyze every win and loss for insights
• Add dedicated proposal writers as volume grows
• Invest in AI writing assistants to speed up drafts
• Train SMEs in storytelling and value articulation
• Use external consultants during busy seasons
• Develop succession plans for every role

Continuous improvement will keep your win rate climbing.

Conclusion

Building RFPs with the best response team structure isn’t about throwing people at a deadline—it’s about creating a coordinated, capable, and committed team with the right tools and processes. With clearly defined roles, strong communication, and scalable workflows, your organization can turn RFPs from a burden into a competitive advantage.