FREE · D.A.R.E. METHOD™ EBOOK
The D.A.R.E. Method for Winning Proposal Writing
Built by RFP-expert Lisa Rehurek at The RFP Success® Company. The 4 letter writing system that stops scoring committees from saying: They didn’t answer our question.
UPDATED FOR 2026 SLED PROCUREMENT CYCLES
4 CORE PRINCIPLES
DISTINCTION · ANSWERS · READABILITY · EVIDENCE
Download it. Apply it. Then keep learning.
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USED BY
Optumas to hit an 86% win rate
6 of 7 SLED bids • healthcare actuarial
USED BY
THE D.A.R.E. METHOD™
4 CORE PRINCIPLES
DISTINCTION · ANSWERS · READABILITY · EVIDENCE
FREE · D.A.R.E. METHOD™ EBOOK
RFP-expert Lisa Rehurek BUILT THIS METHOD ACROSS 30+ YEARS RESPONDING TO, DEVELOPING, AND EVALUATING RFPs.
Part of the 4x4 Framework™ Content pillar →
FROM THE FOUNDER · D.A.R.E. METHOD™ EBOOK
By RFP-expert Lisa Rehurek
Founder · The RFP Success® Company
Author of 11 books · Lisa's 30+ years across responding to, developing, and evaluating RFPs.
“You’re not losing because you’re unqualified. You’re losing because you’re undisciplined.”
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN INSIDE
What makes a proposal stand out as the strongest, most relevant choice, not just another qualified response.
What complete, evaluator-focused answers look like, and why vague capability statements fall short.
How structure, formatting, and clear language make your strongest messages easier for evaluators to find.
What kinds of evidence turn claims into credible proof and strengthen your authority.
The D.A.R.E. Method™ brings these four principles together into a practical approach you can apply to your next RFP.
LISA REHUREK
Founder & CEO, The RFP Success® Company
Inc. 5000 Honoree (2023 & 2024)
Beyond the formal requirements, four things separate the responses that win: Distinction, Answer the Questions for Impact, Readability, and Evidence. Most proposals nail one. The eBook shows you how to get all four.
INC. 5000 (2023, 2024) • WBENC CERTIFIED • GOLDMAN SACHS 10KSB GRADUATE • 11 PUBLISHED BOOKS
INC.
5000
2023 · 2024
WBENC
CERTIFIED
woman owned
GOLDMAN SACHS
10,000 SMALL BUSINESSES
graduate
11 BOOKS
PUBLISHED
5 RFP specific
She’s been the person writing the response. She’s been the person developing the RFP. She’s been the person evaluating the submissions and scoring them.
That all-three-sides perspective is why the method is built around what evaluators can score, not what vendors want to say.
FREE · D.A.R.E. METHOD™ EBOOK
FOUR LETTERS. ONE EVALUATOR READY SYSTEM.
That triangulated view across three decades is what built The RFP Success® Company’s 76%+ win rate across $500M+ in client wins. The D.A.R.E. Method™ is the writing system that sits at the center of it.
D
DISTINCTION
What sets you apart and positions you as the obvious choice.
Make your unique value proposition clear and compelling.
Tailor your solution directly to the client’s needs and pain points.
Examples of turning experience, expertise, and unique capabilities into meaningful differentiation.
A
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOR IMPACT
Direct. Relevant. Complete. Written for the evaluator.
Focus your answers on the client’s needs, not just your capabilities.
Mirror the RFP’s language to help make your response clear and relevant.
Examples of turning vague answers into specific, comprehensive responses that leave less room for evaluator questions.
R
READABILITY
Clear. Organized. Easy to navigate. Easy to score.
Use headings, short paragraphs, bullets, and purposeful formatting to make proposals easier to scan.
Replace jargon and complicated explanations with clear, straightforward writing.
Examples of connecting the client’s needs, your solution, and expected outcomes so evaluators don’t have to hunt for your value.
E
EVIDENCE & AUTHORITY
Proof that builds credibility, confidence, and trust.
Use case studies and measurable results to demonstrate past success.
Include testimonials, references, certifications, and awards to strengthen credibility.
Examples of using thought leadership and relevant proof to establish authority and reduce perceived risk.
THE 76%+ METHOD
It's not luck. It's a system.
76%+
CLIENT WIN RATE ACROSS SLED PROPOSALS
$500M+
IN CLIENT WINS
30+
LISA'S YEARS IN SLED
HEALTHCARE ACTUARIAL
OPTUMAS
86%
WIN RATE • 6 OF 7 SLED BIDS
"RFP whisperers."
Steve Schramm · Optumas
EDUCATION
MODERN LEARNERS
2X
REVENUE GROWTH • $500K → $1M IN YEAR 1
"changed the entire game."
Modern Learners
FLEET MANAGEMENT
RTA FLEET
50% → 80%
FINALIST RATE • YEAR OVER YEAR
"Their method is the only reason we are on pace to double."
RTA Fleet leadership team
OPERATORS WHO RAN THE METHOD
THEY USED THESE FOUR LETTERS TO WIN MORE.
Real SLED service businesses. Real evaluation criteria. Real client outcomes from teams applying the D.A.R.E. Method.
WHO THIS IS FOR
BUILT FOR SERVICE OPERATORS COMPETING FOR STATE AND LOCAL CONTRACTS.
If your team falls into one of these four patterns, the eBook is built to solve the exact gap costing you evaluation points. Find yours.
01
THE SCRAMBLER
Every RFP is a fire drill. We start late, write under pressure, hope something sticks.
WHAT THE EBOOK FIXES
A repeatable Distinction and Answer the Questions for Impact pattern you can apply in the first 30 minutes of any RFP, before the team panic sets in.
02
THE ALMOST WINNER
We write a strong proposal, but we wait until the RFP is released to start thinking about how to win.
WHAT THE EBOOK FIXES
The Evidence stack and Readability checklist make the response clearer and more scoreable. The broader win strategy starts before release with relationships, intelligence, positioning, and buyer understanding.
03
THE CAPABILITY DUMPER
We pour every credential and past project into the response. Evaluators still call us generic.
WHAT THE EBOOK FIXES
The Distinction filter that strips capability dumping language out of every page. Plus the 3 question test every section has to pass.
04
THE FIRST TIMER
First SLED bid. We don't know what we don't know.
WHAT THE EBOOK FIXES
The full D.A.R.E. system mapped against a first SLED submission, with 11 common compliance traps first-time bidders miss.
GET THE D.A.R.E. METHOD™ EBOOK FREE.
Four keys to stronger proposals, with practical guidance and examples our team uses in Win Strategist engagements that you can apply to your next RFP.
No pitch. No pressure. Read it. Apply it. Then use the guide to winning more RFPs to place D.A.R.E. inside the full pursuit lifecycle.
Free download • Practical RFP guidance by email • One-click unsubscribe • Privacy Policy
FAQ
BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD.
WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE EBOOK?
The eBook explains the four parts of the D.A.R.E. Method: Distinction, Answer the Questions for Impact, Readability, and Evidence & Authority. It shows how to address both the explicit items on an evaluator’s scorecard and the silent evaluation items the RFP does not spell out, with examples you can apply to your next response.
IS THIS ONLY FOR STATE CONTRACTS OR LOCAL TOO?
Both, plus Education. The eBook is built for service-based businesses pursuing State, Local, and Education contracts, so it applies across all three parts of the SLED market.
WILL YOU SPAM ME?
Submitting the form delivers the eBook and signs you up for regular emails from The RFP Success® Company with RFP guidance and relevant resources. You can unsubscribe at any time, and your information will never be shared.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM GENERIC RFP GUIDES?
Most generic guides offer interchangeable tips or compliance checklists. The D.A.R.E. Method is a named, repeatable SLED specialist writing method that covers both the explicit scorecard items and the silent evaluation items the RFP leaves unstated. It is the writing method inside the Content pillar of the 4×4 Framework™.
I'M NOT SURE IF MY BUSINESS IS A FIT. CAN I STILL USE THIS?
Yes, if you are a service-based business that is active or preparing to pursue State, Local, and Education contracts. The eBook is free and can help you apply the method to your next response before deciding whether you need additional support.
76%+
AVG WIN RATE
$500M+
CLIENT WINS
30+
YEARS · LISA REHUREK
92%
DOWN SELECT RATE
READY TO WIN · APPLY THE D.A.R.E. METHOD™
WRITE PROPOSALS THAT ARE EASIER TO SCORE.
The D.A.R.E. Method™ from The RFP Success® Company is the four-criteria writing system RFP-expert Lisa Rehurek built across 30+ years responding to, developing, and evaluating RFPs. Apply it to your next response. Or take the RFP Assessment. Our team will tell you honestly whether the eBook is enough or whether your gap is strategy, not writing. No pressure. No pitch.
"At your revenue level, guessing is negligence."
Lisa Rehurek
Founder, The RFP Success® Company · 30+ years responding to, developing, and evaluating RFPs