The meeting is over and your employer has now anointed you with the task of creating and leading the dreaded Request for Proposal for security services. The long and drawn out process of the Tender. The sleeplessness nights of wondering what to put in and what not to ask for.
Sure most larger size organizations have a standard template and the only differences from one RFP to the other are the few pages of specifics for that particular set of tasks. But you can change that. One thing that you don’t see very often are penalties for not reaching certain service levels. Why not? If the current or potential new service provider is that confident in their services or products why wouldn’t they be willing to take a little less compensation for not meeting the mark. On the flip side, maybe you offer a bonus for exceeding a measurable service level.
Many end users don’t really ask their service providers to meet new standards along the way. They have to meet certain standards at the beginning of the contract but don’t need to improve on them as the life of the contract works its way through. Why not? Throw some KPI components in. Better yet…in your RFP have your potential bidders suggest KPI components, a measurable scale to reward or penalize and suggestions for the reward. You don’t have to do all the work. Once you chosen what you feel to be your successful bidder, you then have the availability to pick and choose the best suggestions of KPI components from all your bidders and put them into your final contract.
This concept is not new but it’s not used as often as I think it should be.
Now that sounds like it might just lend itself to some rest and relaxation. Let the RFP do all the work.