After an RFP process, ask law firms confidentially to critique the process

“Post-tender debriefings,” in the New Zealand phrasing of Ron Pol from in the ACC Docket, Vol. 27, March 2009 at 22, make sense, but he feels that firms that took part in the competitive bidding process will likely be loath to suggest improvements if they detected a flawed process. Pol is right, but there is an alternative.

A consultant could find out about useful improvements as perceived by the law firms, and clothe their comments in anonymity. The law department would benefit for subsequent RFP processes and the losing firms might feel somewhat better if they can vent their disappointment (See my post of March 30, 2008: RFPs with 22 references.).

For more on the topic of RFPs, see my BLOOK on outside counsel management.
http://www.reesmorrison.com/lawyer-attorney-1404892.html