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Lee Anne Morgan & Partners and Alan Krinsky Associates recently provided a paper regarding
Agency Search Best Practices: 10 Musts. Here, we elaborate on one of the ‘Musts’ which addresses
common mistakes made during one aspect of the review process ... Agency Search RFPs: 10
Mistakes.
Most agency search RFPs are burdened with information requests that are not related to the task at
hand — screening, assessing, and selecting a new agency partner.
Whether your agency search is managed by a consultant, or internally by your
marketing/procurement team, these best practices for your RFP format and content should be
employed: Keep it simple. Make it clear. Stay relevant.
AGENCY SEARCH RFPS: 10 MISTAKES
NOT PROVIDING:
 a clear, precise Year 1 SOW — agencies should know exactly what is expected of them
core agency selection criteria for the review process — agencies will do better if they know
the priorities for selection
a detailed timeline and process for the agency review — this allows an agency to assess their
feasibility to participate
clear, precise direction in information requests — make every word work hard and say what
you mean
UNREASONABLE REQUESTS FOR:
financial information in the RFP stage of the process — salary requests, breakdown of
overhead costs, severance packages
detailed operational and management processes — production and accounting protocols,
personnel timesheet documentation
confidential and/or inappropriate information not relevant to the review — identify agency
clients on incentive remuneration and management personnel on bonus
unrealistic due date of RFP — ignores that agencies have clients they currently serve and can
influence the quality of the response
too many case studies and/or creative examples — be specific and stay focused on the real
needs for meeting objectives
FINALLY ...
identify and declare — client’s key decision makers, core client Team going forward with the
agency, those who will participate in meetings and presentations during the agency review
process.
We would be pleased to discuss these and any other issues you may have concerning agency
search and/or the management of client-agency relations. Email Lee Anne or Alan. We love what we do and we do it really well. So, we are always happy to tell you about
our work and to discuss, in confidence, your issues and needs.
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