Four Ways to Implement ChatGPT in Your RFP Strategy

Just as sales professionals are always on the lookout for new ways to engage with prospects and close more deals, agency pros are also anxious to refine the RFP process. When an agency receives an RFP (Request for Proposal), they typically follow a process to respond and compete for the project or contract… Review, identify stakeholders, formulate a response team, review and refine, etc. With the advent of artificial intelligence and natural language processing, agencies have access to another exciting (yet often intimidating) new tool in their RFP strategy – ChatGPT.

As we covered in our first article on ChatGPT, the tool is a large language model trained by OpenAI, based on the GPT-3.5 architecture. What that means is, the software can understand natural language and respond to queries in a human-like manner. While creepy to the uninitiated, this technology can automate and enhance much of the sales process, from lead generation to follow-up communications.

Overall, the agency’s goal is to develop a compelling proposal that demonstrates their expertise, understanding of the project requirements, and ability to deliver high-quality results. By following a structured process and working collaboratively, agencies can increase their chances of winning RFPs and securing new business opportunities. Here are four ways agencies can implement ChatGPT for RFP responses:

1)  Gather data

Agencies can gather information about previous successful RFP responses, common questions, and industry jargon related to the RFP’s subject matter. This information can be used to train the ChatGPT model to better understand the agency’s language and style.

2)  Train ChatGPT

Agencies can use the gathered data to train the ChatGPT model to generate customized RFP responses. This involves fine-tuning the model with the specific language and tone of the agency’s RFP responses.

3)  Use ChatGPT to generate responses

The model can generate responses to specific questions, provide information about the agency’s services and highlight strengths. While ChatGPT can generate responses, it’s important for agencies to review and edit the responses before submitting them. This ensures that they’re accurate and relevant to the RFP.

4)  Submit RFP responses

Once the responses are reviewed and edited, agencies can submit them as part of their response. ChatGPT can save time and effort in crafting customized responses, but ensure that the responses are accurate and relevant to the RFP, too.

But remember to proceed with caution (and common sense)…

One of the biggest cons of ChatGPT or any other AI chatbot is that it’s not an authoritative source of information. At the time of writing (May 2023), the technology still relies on content from the internet. We all know the internet is filled with misinformation, so taking its answers at face value is always a mistake. You must be able to understand what you want ChatGPT to do and also interrogate its results to use it effectively.

The fact that it depends on data is a drawback. If there is little or no data available, it will not respond. Despite its ability to understand natural language and respond accordingly, ChatGPT has some limitations. The tool doesn’t understand the nuances of conversation, which can result in misunderstandings or insufficient outcomes.