Best Practices for Getting Proposal Feedback During a Red Team Review

A red team review is a process where an independent group, referred to as the “red team,” assesses and challenges a proposal or project to identify potential weaknesses, vulnerabilities, or areas for improvement.

Here are some best practices for obtaining effective feedback during a red team review:

1. Define clear objectives: Clearly define the objectives of the red team review before it begins. What are the specific areas you want the red team to focus on? Does each reviewer need to read the whole document, or will you assign sections? What are the key questions or concerns you want them to address? Clearly articulate your expectations to the red team to ensure they understand the purpose and scope of their review.
2. Choose the right reviewers: Select red team members who have expertise in the relevant subject matter or experience with the customer. They should be independent and impartial, with no direct involvement in the proposal or project being reviewed. This will help ensure that the feedback provided is objective and unbiased.
3. Provide relevant information: Give the red team access to all relevant information, including the proposal documents, compliance matrix (or evaluation checklist), background materials, and any other relevant information they need to conduct a thorough review. This will enable them to provide well-informed feedback and recommendations.
4. Create a conducive environment: Create a supportive and collaborative environment where the red team feels comfortable to express their opinions freely. Encourage open and candid discussions and ensure that feedback is focused on constructive criticism. Emphasize that the goal is to identify areas for improvement, not to find fault.
5. Ask specific questions: Provide the red team with specific questions or areas of concern that you want them to address. This will help guide their feedback and ensure that they focus on the areas that are most important to you. For example, you could ask them to assess the proposal’s strengths and weaknesses, identify potential risks, or suggest alternative approaches.
6. Document feedback: Ensure that all feedback provided by the red team is documented in a systematic manner. This will help you capture their insights and recommendations for further analysis and consideration. It will also serve as a reference for future discussions and decision-making.
7. Follow up and take action: After the red team review, analyze the feedback provided and prioritize the recommendations based on their significance and feasibility. Have writers follow up with the red team to clarify any questions or concerns and communicate the actions that will be taken in response to their feedback. Implement the agreed-upon recommendations and track progress to demonstrate that the feedback has been taken seriously.

Obtaining feedback during a red team review is a valuable opportunity to identify areas for improvement and strengthen your proposal. By following these best practices, you can ensure that the feedback received is meaningful, actionable, and contributes to enhancing the quality, compliance, and creativity of your proposal.