What pre‑RFP practices and RFP‑phase bid‑management capabilities enable consulting firms such as NTT DATA to prepare compliant and competitive proposals for public‑sector contracts

Details

Supervisors

Wautelet, Yves

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThis thesis examines how consulting firms prepare for and respond to public-sector Requests for Proposals (RFPs), with a focus on identifying the capabilities required to produce compliant and competitive proposals. It distinguishes between pre‑RFP preparation and RFP‑phase bid management, addressing a gap in the literature, which predominantly adopts a buyer-side perspective. The study combines a literature-based conceptual framework with empirical insights from semi‑structured interviews conducted with practitioners involved in public-sector bidding. The findings show that proposal success is strongly influenced by activities undertaken before the RFP is issued. Key pre‑RFP capabilities include market intelligence, early engagement, competitor analysis, consortium formation, and internal readiness, supported by structured go/no‑go decision-making. During the RFP phase, effective execution depends on clear governance, coordination across teams, strict compliance management, and the central role of a dedicated bid manager. The thesis contributes by developing an integrated vendor-side framework linking preparation and execution, and by identifying practitioner-driven capabilities not fully captured in existing research. Overall, it highlights the importance of early positioning and organizational readiness in public-sector bidding.