Ashburn, VA – July 31, 2024 – The Association of Proposal Management Professionals is proud to announce that it has partnered with Responsive to publish a new research report: the 2024 State of Strategic Response Management Report.
The research, designed by Callan Consulting and Responsive, compiles data from 750 professionals in the UK, US and India who work across proposal management, sales, IT and executive management roles.
It explores changes in the buying environment, the significant contributions of bid and proposal teams to topline revenue, and the methods employed by leading organizations to drive exceptional results.
Responsive, the report’s author, stated: “The growing pressure to generate more revenue, coupled with the increased volume and complexity of information requests, has catalyzed the emergence of Strategic Response Management – the people, practices, and technology that unlock organizational knowledge for profitable growth.”
The document contains a wealth of data that is particularly interesting for the APMP community, collected through a survey fielded in May 2024. Among many other actionable results, the survey found that more than 90% of respondents believe that bid and proposal professionals are central to revenue generation.
“Bid and proposal teams have always been key growth drivers,” said APMP CEO Rick Harris. “As they face even more pressure to contribute to revenue, they are rising to the challenge and, in doing so, raising their profile in their organizations.”
Danelle Morrow, VP of the North America Proposal Development Center at Sodexo, said: “By elevating the practice, proposal teams are transforming into strategic response teams that align cross-functional stakeholders, processes, and systems to deliver winning responses to information requests by harnessing a company’s knowledge.”
“The results are happier employees and greater topline revenue,” she continued. “It is time to recognize proposal teams for their vital role in making the revenue engine hum.”
The report identifies a progression in previously-suggested trends challenging bid and proposal teams, including an increase in the volume of RFPs and strategic responses over the last year, coupled with tighter budgets and increased competitive pressure.
The research also explores the increased adoption of AI across the board (with 89% of respondents stating they have at least experimented with AI), and highlighted ways in which leading companies are incorporating AI into their processes.
“With an increase in the variety, complexity, and volume of information requests, combined with greater pressure to grow revenue, the benefits of AI-powered Strategic Response Management are clear,” said Responsive’s CEO, Ganesh Shankar. “Today, AI is bringing measurable value to bid and proposal teams, not only by increasing productivity but also by driving more revenue.
“Forward-thinking leaders are reaping the benefits of the latest AI advances, as evidenced by greater win rates and employee satisfaction.”
Rick Harris added: “There is power in leveraging all of an organization’s internal and external knowledge to position bid and proposal teams for the win.
“By embracing AI and linking strategic responses to better outcomes like higher win rates, increased revenue and better employee experiences, these teams are elevating their profession, gaining more investment, and raising their visibility as a critical part of the revenue engine.”
The report is now available to read in its entirety. It can be downloaded on the 2024 State of Strategic Response Management Report page.
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