How to Build the Best RFP Team

A request for proposal is one of the most important documents your company will produce. Whether you’re responding to one or issuing one, the stakes are high and the money on the line is real.

A single RFP can pull in dozens of people. Capture Planning notes there can be as many as 30 people working on an RFP at a time. With that many hands on one document, you need clearly defined roles, a standard the Association of Proposal Management Professionals has spent decades helping the industry establish. Here’s a breakdown of the core team members sales enablement and RFP teams managing proposal workflows rely on, and what each one is responsible for.

What Does a Capture Manager Do?

The capture manager owns the development effort from a high level. They secure buy-in from corporate leadership and coordinate the work of every team involved. Because they’re steering the core group that drives the proposal forward, this role shapes the entire process.

Bob Lohfeld, writing for Washington Technology, says a good capture manager’s first move is defining the proposal process before work begins. That process should reflect your company culture. Lohfeld recommends keeping it refined, repeatable, and low-risk.

What Does a Proposal Manager Do?

If the capture manager sets the direction, the proposal manager runs the engine. They own the day-to-day mechanics: process, planning, and everything in between. Every proposal activity, large or small, passes through them.

Capture Planning describes managing a proposal as more art than science. There’s no fixed formula. You adapt your strategy to the business in front of you, which is part of why proposal team challenges come up so often and why having a steady proposal manager matters.

Why Do You Need a Subject Matter Expert on the Team?

A subject matter expert (SME) brings deep knowledge of the topic at hand, which helps the team answer tricky questions with confidence. A good practice is having your authors sit down with SMEs and close every interview with one question: “What else do I need to know?” That question often surfaces information the author didn’t know to ask about.

You might wonder why the SME doesn’t just write the proposal directly. Two reasons. First, deep subject knowledge doesn’t always translate into strong writing. Second, SMEs can know too much. Their expertise can pull a proposal into jargon that loses the reader. Words on the page are limited, so don’t let technical language crowd out clarity.

What Does the Author Actually Do?

Authors write the proposal, but the job is more than pen to paper. They join storyboarding meetings, sit with managers to nail down themes and features, and carry the document through rounds of edits before it’s ready to submit.

Most proposals have multiple authors. Some contribute a single resume section, others build out full project summaries. Whatever the split, clear communication across the team keeps the editing phase from turning into a headache later.

What Does a Review Team Leader Bring to the Process?

Once the writing wraps, the proposal moves to review. The review team leader, usually a senior or executive team member, sets the review criteria before the process even starts. From there, they manage reviewers, gather commentary, and lead the debrief once feedback is in.

Many teams add a Pink Team review as a final check before submission. Review leaders should stay out of the actual proposal creation. Their value comes from fresh eyes that catch what the writing team missed.

What Does a Cost Strategist Do?

The cost strategist, typically someone from Finance, checks whether the numbers in the proposal actually hold up. They write, review, and edit every section tied to cost or business volume. Since unrealistic pricing can sink an otherwise strong proposal, this role carries real weight in the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should You Remember About Building an RFP Team?

• The capture manager sets the process and secures corporate support.
• The proposal manager owns execution and keeps the proposal moving.
• Subject matter experts inform the content but don’t write it.
• Authors collaborate across the whole process, not just at the drafting stage.
• Review team leaders stay separate from creation to catch what others miss.
• Cost strategists verify that the numbers in the proposal are realistic.

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