rfp-response

RFP Response

Overview

Parse a customer RFP/RFI document, match each requirement against the OSS feature matrix and historical case library, and generate a categorized response draft with traceable sources and explicit gap annotations.

Prerequisites

The following artifacts must exist before running this skill:

• knowledge/oss-feature-matrix.md (output of /oss-analyze)
• At least one case file in knowledge/cases/ (output of /case-import)

If missing, prompt the SE to run the corresponding Phase 0 skill first. The skill can run with only the feature matrix (without cases) in degraded mode, but case matching will be unavailable.

Workflow

Step 0: Go/No-Go Qualification

Before investing time in a full response, run a qualification check. If the SE provides enough context, score the opportunity:

Pillar	Score	Question
Solution Fit	/25	Estimated coverage score. <50% is a red flag; <60% warns.
Relationship	/25	Do we have a champion inside? Is this a cold RFP?
Competitive Landscape	/25	Is the RFP wired for a competitor? Look for proprietary language.
Strategic Value	/25	Does this align with ICP, region, and profitability goals?

Scoring rubric (total /100):

• ≥75: GO — proceed with full response
• 60–74: GO WITH RISK — proceed, but flag the weak pillars in the verdict
• <60: NO-GO — recommend declining unless the SE provides overruling context

Automatic NO-GO conditions (hard stops — do not proceed regardless of other scores):

• Security/compliance requirements are non-negotiable and the OSS + customization cannot satisfy them
• The RFP is wired for a competitor (proprietary feature language throughout)
• The prospect refuses all pre-submission engagement
• Must-have coverage < 50%

Red flags that suggest walking away:

• Requirements use a competitor's proprietary feature language
• Unusually short deadline (likely a wired bid seeking backup quotes)
• Zero existing relationships and the prospect won't engage pre-submission
• Must-have gaps > 3 or coverage score < 50%

Output the qualification verdict before proceeding. If the SE chooses to proceed despite red flags, note the elevated risk. If any automatic NO-GO condition is met, recommend declining and explain why.

Step 1: Define win themes

Before drafting any response text, define 3-5 win themes following the Resonate → Differentiate → Substantiate structure:

Theme: <What the buyer needs> → <What we deliver> → <Why they should believe us (proof)>

Each theme maps to at least one customer priority surfaced during the Go/No-Go skim. (Customer priorities will be extracted in detail during Step 2 — win themes can be refined afterward.) Win themes guide all downstream response writing — every answer should reinforce at least one theme.

Step 2: Parse the RFP

Read the RFP document (supports .pdf, .docx, .md, .txt) and extract a structured requirement list.

For each requirement, extract:

Field	Description
id	Auto-incrementing: R001, R002, ...
category	Functional / Non-functional / Integration / Security / SLA / Other
summary	One-sentence summary
detail	Full original text
keywords	Technical keywords extracted from the original text
customer_priority	Inferred priority to the buyer (critical / high / medium / low) — based on emphasis in the RFP. Default to medium if unclear.

Step 3: Match against the knowledge base

For each requirement, search as follows:

2a. Search the feature matrix

In knowledge/oss-feature-matrix.md, match by:

• Keyword matching: requirement keywords vs feature names and descriptions
• Semantic inference: the technical scenario described vs scenarios the OSS can address

2b. Search the case library

In knowledge/cases/, match by:

• Industry match: same-industry cases weighted higher
• Module match: case modules overlapping with requirement's module scope
• Pain point match: case pain descriptions similar to the requirement

2c. Output match results per requirement

R001: <summary>
  ├─ OSS coverage: <match from feature matrix> | no match
  ├─ Case coverage: <case file name> | no match
  └─ Status: COVERED_OSS | COVERED_CUSTOM | PARTIAL | GAP

Step 4: Generate the response draft

Output outputs/rfp/<customer>-rfp-draft.md:

---
skill: rfp-response
date: <YYYY-MM-DD>
inputs: <rfp-file>, knowledge/oss-feature-matrix.md, knowledge/cases/
status: draft
---

# RFP Response Draft — <Customer Name>

## Go/No-Go Verdict
| Pillar | Score | Note |
|--------|-------|------|
| Solution Fit | /25 | |
| Relationship | /25 | |
| Competitive Landscape | /25 | |
| Strategic Value | /25 | |
| **Total** | **/100** | ≥75 GO \| 60–74 GO WITH RISK \| <60 NO-GO |
| **Verdict** | **GO / NO-GO / GO WITH RISK** | |

## Win Themes
> Every response reinforces at least one of these themes

| # | Theme | Buyer Need | Our Delivery | Proof |
|---|-------|------------|-------------|-------|
| 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 2 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 3 | ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Coverage Overview

| Metric | Count | Percentage |
|--------|-------|------------|
| Total requirements | N | 100% |
| OSS covered | N | X% |
| Case covered | N | X% |
| Partial | N | X% |
| GAP | N | X% |

## Responses

### R001 — <Requirement Summary>
**Category**: <category>
**Priority**: critical | high | medium | low
**Status**: COVERED_OSS | COVERED_CUSTOM | PARTIAL | GAP
**Win Theme**: <which theme this reinforces, or "—">

**Feature**: <What capability addresses this requirement>

**Advantage**: <What makes our approach better/different>

**Benefit**: <What tangible outcome this produces for the buyer>

**Response**:
<Concrete, buyer-language response content connecting feature → advantage → benefit>

**Source**: <feature matrix row / case file path>
**Confidence**: high | medium | low

### R002 — ...
...

## GAP Registry
> Requirements with no match — needs SME confirmation

| ID | Requirement | Priority | Recommended Handling |
|----|-------------|----------|---------------------|
| R0xx | ... | high | Product team to confirm roadmap |
| R0xx | ... | medium | Evaluate customization feasibility |

## Executive Summary
> Write last. Lift the strongest proof points and sharpest language from the completed responses.

**Decision Statement**: <1-2 sentences: the outcome + why you are the credible choice>

**Customer Situation**: <Prove you understand their world — 2-3 sentences>

**Our Approach**: <High-level solution mapped to their top 3 criteria>

**Differentiators**: <3-5 bullets with proof — pulled from win themes>

**Delivery & Risk**: <How execution will be de-risked>

**Next Step**: <Clear path forward>

Step 5: Post-generation guidance

After generating the draft, guide the SE through structured review:

Gate 1 — Compliance & Coverage:

• Review the GAP registry first — identify which gaps can be answered
• Verify every RFP requirement has a corresponding response

Gate 2 — Technical Accuracy:

• Verify COVERED_CUSTOM items — ensure case descriptions and version references are accurate
• Have SMEs validate PARTIAL and GAP items (not rewrite them)

Gate 3 — Narrative & Proof:

• Write the Executive Summary last, lifting the strongest language from completed responses
• Run the skimmability test: if someone reads only the first sentence of each response, do they get the story?
• Verify every major claim has evidence attached (feature matrix row, case file, or SME confirmation)
• Update the status to reviewed when done

Key Rules

• Run Go/No-Go before drafting. Do not invest hours in a wired bid.
• Define win themes first. Every response must reinforce at least one theme.
• Map every response through FAB: Feature → Advantage → Benefit. Do not list features without connecting them to buyer outcomes.
• Every response must cite its source (specific feature matrix row or case file path)
• Never fabricate capabilities. Items with no match are marked GAP
• PARTIAL items must explicitly state "what the OSS provides" and "what requires customization"
• COVERED_CUSTOM responses should reference the case's specific pitfall records to increase credibility
• Write the Executive Summary last, after all responses are complete
• Use the buyer's own language from the RFP — mirror their terminology
• Do not evaluate commercial strategy (pricing, competitive positioning) — handle technical responses only
• Avoid vague language like "can be supported, needs evaluation" — either explain how it is supported, or mark it GAP

Quality Checklist

• Go/No-Go qualification completed with scores; automatic NO-GO conditions checked
• 3-5 win themes defined with Resonate → Differentiate → Substantiate structure
• RFP document successfully parsed, requirement list complete with customer priorities
• Every requirement cross-matched against feature matrix and case library
• Every response includes FAB mapping (Feature / Advantage / Benefit)
• Every response cites an explicit source and references at least one win theme
• All GAP items annotated with priority and recommended handling
• Executive Summary written after responses, using strongest proof points
• No vague/disclaiming language present
• Output frontmatter complete
• Overview statistics table accurate