Flexible government at the pre-contract stage makes for a better, smoother contract and post-contract stage (when they're providing references for you). It also sometimes affects the issuance-to-award timeline, even when you're paid and if a deposit can be included. Want to open an office near the purchaser's location in six months rather than two weeks? It helps to have a flexible partner signing off on the extension.

Public purchasers are great at releasing schedules/timelines before the RFP deadline, but not accountable to those same dates afterward. Follow ups are critical because they keep the evaluation on track, but vendors often get this wrong. Some contractors believe that they should hear back concerning their bid within a few days; to be treated seriously, you must respect the process or work with a third party (like TKS) that does.