National Treasure is such a fun movie. It’s interesting, it’s complex, it’s full of action and intrigue. It’s about the hunt. It’s about following the clues and working to figure out where the next clue is. Treasure hunts make for great movies.
However, going from clue to clue without context in real life is frustrating. It’s like a choose your own adventure book that never ends. Unknown factors lead to frustration and ineffectiveness. Unknown factors include 1) what do the clues mean? 2) how do the clues relate to each other? Do they? Or 3) how many total clues are there before we get to the treasure? Unknown factors make for good movies but are less fun in real life.
By contrast, a Treasure Map is something you follow through trails and terrain en route to a known destination. A treasure map is more valuable because the number of unknown factors is much lower. What we want in GovCon is to be following a Treasure Map, not being on a Treasure Hunt.
How to tell the difference? Here are some questions to ask to determine if we are on a treasure hunt or following a treasure map.
- Time Zones: Do we know what acquisition time zone the opportunity is in? Do we know the next step in the acquisition process?
- Responsibilities: Do we know who is responsible for the next step? Can we influence at this stage or just watch?
- Acquisition Strategy: Do we know what acquisition strategy the government is likely to use? (hint: look at what they did last time)
- Momentum: What can we do today to move closer to the treasure?
- Direction: Where is the map leading? Do we really want to go there? (i.e. multiple award IDIQ with LPTA task orders)
The good news is that very few acquisition strategies are built outside a repeatable structure. Nearly all acquisitions have a repeatable pattern. The treasure map to contract award is not being built from scratch.
Case in point: how many RFPs are built on a copy and paste strategy? Many of mine were. Why re-invent the wheel?
Therefore, we should expect to NOT be on a treasure hunt in GovCon. Nearly every acquisition strategy has been used before. There is a pattern. Look for it.
Here’s the catch. If you can’t see the pattern (i.e. you can’t find the treasure map), that’s an indicator of an RFP and acquisition process that is going to feel like a treasure hunt.
And while Nicolas Cage did find the treasure, that’s Hollywood. We’re assuming he’ll find the treasure by the end…
Look for the treasure map. It’s much more valuable.
Full disclosure – I got this general Treasure Hunt vs Treasure Map concept from Brian Burns on his Brutal Truth About Sales and Selling Podcast. Brian was a guest on our podcast on episode 222.