You will be reviewing the Requirements and the responses to an RFP

Instructions

You will receive three inputs:

1. The RFP Request document (with requirements and instructions) as an attachment.
2. The Vendor Response document as an attachment.
3. The grading criteria/rubric (with weights and definitions) are below.
4. A list of questions you must answer are below

You will receive three inputs:

1. The RFP Request document (with requirements and instructions) as an attachment.
2. The Vendor Response document as an attachment.
3. The grading criteria/rubric (with weights and definitions) are below.
4. A list of questions you must answer are below

Your task is to analyze, score, and critique the Response according to the RFP and rubric. Follow these steps strictly:

Step 1: Parse Inputs

• Break down the RFP into individual requirements. Assign each requirement a unique ID.
• Segment the Response into sections and normalize formatting.
• Extract the grading rubric criteria, weights, and definitions.

Step 2: Map Requirements

• For each RFP requirement, locate the corresponding Response content.
• Mark each as: Fully Addressed, Partially Addressed, or Missing.
• Create a traceability table: (Requirement → Response excerpt).

Step 3: Apply Grading Criteria

• For each criterion in the rubric:
  • Identify relevant Response passages.
  • Evaluate alignment, depth, and quality.
  • Assign a score and provide a short justification with citations from the Response.
• Apply weights and calculate overall scores.

Step 4: Quality & Compliance Check

• Evaluate readability, clarity, and structure.
• Detect compliance language (“meets,” “exceeds,” “fully compliant”).
• Assess the strength of supporting evidence (metrics, references, certifications).
• Flag vague/non-committal language.
• Check for consistency across sections.

Step 5: Risk & Gap Analysis

• Identify unaddressed or weak requirements.
• Highlight risks such as incomplete commitments, vague SLAs, or overpromises without evidence.
• Identify differentiators and unique strengths.

Step 6: Anticipate & Answer Reviewer Questions

• Generate likely reviewer questions based on gaps and risks. Also make sure you also answer all the required questions listed below.
• For each question:
  • Extract the most relevant supporting text from the Response.
  • If missing, propose a recommended clarification the vendor should provide.
  • If the vendor has gaps, mention the gap and propose a question that will close the gap.

Step 7: Generate Outputs

Produce the following deliverables:

1. Scoring Matrix (criteria → score → justification → citations).
2. Gap Analysis Report (requirements not or weakly addressed).
3. Risk & Strength Summary.
4. Reviewer Q&A Set (questions + extracted answers/recommendations).

Example Application

• Requirement: “Provide 24/7 customer support.”
• Response: “We provide support during business hours, with emergency escalation after hours.”
• Evaluation: Partial compliance (2/5).
• Risk: Limited after-hours coverage.
• Reviewer Question: “What is the SLA for after-hours support?”

Instruction: Always cite Response text when scoring, highlight risks, and make recommendations where gaps exist.

Grading Criteria / Rubric

Evaluation Guidance

When evaluating solutions, evaluators should focus on four key dimensions:

1. Requirements Fit – How well does the proposal align with the RFP SOW and service areas?
   • Higher scores: Fully traceable to SOW, comprehensive coverage, security/controls built in.
   • Lower scores: Misalignment, incomplete, or failure to meet core requirements.
2. Enhancements – Are there meaningful improvements beyond the baseline SOW (e.g., automation, AIOps, modernization)?
   • Higher scores: Clear roadmap with quantified value.
   • Lower scores: Minimal or outdated approach.
3. Exceptions & Risks – Assess the materiality of gaps, exceptions, and deferrals.
   • Higher scores: No or minor items, easily mitigated.
   • Lower scores: Major/high-impact exceptions raising compliance or viability risks.
4. Assumptions – Are assumptions reasonable, justified, and bounded by remedies?
   • Higher scores: Justified and clearly bounded assumptions.
   • Lower scores: Broad, heavy, unproven, or contradictory assumptions.

General Rule:

• Scores 5–4: Well-aligned, value-added enhancements, and minimal gaps with justified assumptions.
• Score 3: Adequate, standard functional response with limited enhancements and moderate risks.
• Scores 2–0: Misaligned, incomplete, or fails to meet SOW; major/high-impact risks; untenable or missing assumptions.

Scoring Scale

5 - Exceeds

• Requirements Fit: Fully traceable to SOW; mandated tools/controls; security/compliance designed-in.
• Enhancements: Clear modernization/AIOps roadmap; quantified value.
• Exceptions & Risks: No material gaps; assumptions bounded with concrete remedies.
• Assumptions: Justified assumptions.

4 - Strong

• Requirements Fit: Well-aligned to SOW; minor tailoring per Service Area.
• Enhancements: Meaningful automation/modernization.
• Exceptions & Risks: Minor items; fixes identified.
• Assumptions: Reasonable assumptions.

3 - Satisfactory

• Requirements Fit: Standard/functional response; uneven depth across Service Areas.
• Enhancements: Limited automation; generic roadmap.
• Exceptions & Risks: Moderate impact items or deferrals.
• Assumptions: Broad assumptions.

2 - Adequate

• Requirements Fit: Misalignment to SOW in areas; Service-Area gaps.
• Enhancements: Minimal modernization.
• Exceptions & Risks: Major exceptions on scope/tooling fit.
• Assumptions: Heavy/unproven assumptions.

1 - Insufficient

• Requirements Fit: Incomplete/unclear; fails Service-Area needs.
• Enhancements: Outdated approach.
• Exceptions & Risks: High-impact items; viability doubtful.
• Assumptions: Untenable assumptions.

0 - Unacceptable

• Requirements Fit: Fails core SOW requirements or mandatory tools/processes.
• Enhancements: N/A.
• Exceptions & Risks: Disastrous gaps.
• Assumptions: Not provided or contradicts RFP.

Required Questions (sample — replace with actual set)

1. Governance, Operations, and Platform Management

• Does the response clearly state governance, operations, and platform management requirements, assumptions, and exceptions?
• Does the proposed solution demonstrate alignment with operational resilience and provide evidence of scalability and reliability?

2. Shared Accountability & Value Realization

• Is there evidence of shared accountability for outcomes and KPIs?
• Does the vendor outline proactive risk mitigation, resilience, and continuous improvement practices?
• Is end-to-end accountability clearly demonstrated?

3. Innovation & Modernization

• Are modernization initiatives (automation, observability, platform engineering) clearly articulated with value measures?
• Are they realistic within scope and timeline?

4. Risk Posture & Mitigation

• Are risks explicitly acknowledged with mitigation strategies?
• Are overreaching or vague commitments present?

5. Service Level & Performance Commitments

• Are SLA targets specific, measurable, and grounded in operational capability?
• Are escalation and remediation paths clear?

Final Output Structure

Provide a structured markdown response with sections:

1. Executive Summary
2. Scoring Matrix
3. Requirement Traceability Table
4. Gap & Risk Analysis
5. Strengths & Differentiators
6. Reviewer Q&A
7. Recommendations for Clarifications

End by asking: “Would you like a condensed executive briefing or a remediation request draft next?”