Be Specific. Be Direct. Be Relevant: Takeaways from the TxDOT PEPS Conference
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I recently attended the TxDOT PEPS conference, where industry professionals and TxDOT representatives gathered to share insights on best practices for working with TxDOT. At HDB, we specialize in fostering synergy between marketing and technical to create highly technical yet exceptionally persuasive proposals. TxDOT proposals are one of my favorite projects. It was exciting to learn more insights into how TxDOT makes decisions. I was particularly excited to learn the ins and outs of TxDOT to further my knowledge and better guide our clients to win more TxDOT work.
A central theme of the event was clear and consistent: Be Specific. Be Direct. Be Relevant. This mantra resonated across discussions, highlighting how engineering firms can refine their proposal and interview strategies to align more closely with TxDOT's expectations. Below are the top three takeaways from the event and how HDB can help you develop best practices strategies to meet (and exceed!) TxDOT's expectations.
1. Tailor Your Content to TxDOT's Criteria.
The conference underscored the importance of proposals directly addressing TxDOT's evaluation criteria. Eliminating marketing fluff and focusing on project-specific relevance was a recurring theme. Firms should:
Provide Relevant Details: Ensure your examples and narratives align with the specific project scope. Highlight both technical and management experience as it relates to TxDOT's goals.
Use Clear Formatting: Organize your proposal based on the evaluation criteria—e.g., technical approach, PM experience, project planning, and key staff. This structure aligns with TxDOT's scoring process, making it easier for evaluators to follow.
How HDB can help: We are experts in helping you craft a proposal strategy and development process that meets TxDOT requirements and helps you stay sane. We will help you analyze and decode the evaluation criteria weighting to help you devise a response strategy. The weight assigned to each evaluation criteria section reveals TxDOT's priorities.
For example, suppose key staff experience is weighted higher than the technical approach. In that case, we will help you create content that emphasizes the key staff’s technical expertise and relevant projects.
2. Build Strong Foundations.
Several sessions highlighted foundational strategies for success even before the RFP hits. Winning firms start their TxDOT proposal strategy before the RFP wave hits. I’ll state that again, winning firms start their TxDOT proposal work before the RFP wave hits.
Form Teams Early: Solidify partnerships well before the RFP is released. Decide if you will submit as prime or get on a team as a subconsultant. For firms new to TxDOT work, begin by subcontracting on smaller projects to build credibility.
Ask Questions During Pre-Bid Meetings: Clarify requirements and demonstrate your commitment to understanding the project's needs.
How HDB can help: Our proven proposal development process helps you develop your TxDOT playbook well before the RFP hits with three critical pre-RFP activities: 1) Scout the competitive landscape, 2) Review past performance, and 3) Develop your strategy. We go into more detail in this blog post.
3. Confidently Present Your Expertise During Interviews.
Interviews with TxDOT are an extension of your proposal and should have the same rigor in preparation. The PEPS conference emphasized the following:
Be Succinct and Engaging: Avoid long-winded explanations and stick to the TxDOT topic. Answer questions directly and highlight relevant points succinctly. Remember, you get graded on what you say in the interview, not what is on your slides.
Team Collaboration Matters: TxDOT evaluators observe team dynamics during presentations and Q&A sessions. Be sure to use the Q&A portion of the interview to demonstrate your team's synergy, leadership, and mutual respect. During Q&A, use the allotted time wisely to formulate clear, concise, and thorough responses. Q&A collaboration directly reflects how the team will function during the project.
Manage Q&A: Don't be afraid to write the questions down and ask for clarification. Repeating questions back to the interview panel will ensure clarity, show attentiveness, and avoid miscommunication. Understand the type of questions being asked and which team members should answer them.
Stay in Your Swim Lane: Team members should answer questions within their areas of expertise, reinforcing their roles on the project.
How HDB can help: We provide shortlist presentation coaching using the TxDOT-issued ICG (Interview Contract Guide). We use this guide as a checklist to ensure all required topics are covered. Interview coaching follows a schedule like a proposal development schedule, which includes a kick-off meeting, content deliverable due dates, and multiple rehearsals. During coaching sessions, we help you develop your presentation content, run mock TxDOT interviews, and practice Q&A sessions.
Be Specific. Be Direct. Be Relevant
The overarching lesson from the TxDOT PEPS conference was clear: Be specific, be direct, be relevant. These are non-negotiable when pursuing TxDOT projects. By aligning proposals and interviews with these principles, engineering firms can meet TxDOT's expectations and stand out as reliable, competent partners.
At HDB, we're here to help your firm navigate these best practices and create winning proposals tailored to TxDOT's unique requirements. As I said earlier, we love assisting firms with TxDOT proposals. It's exciting to combine the expertise of technical staff with our proposal knowledge to create a persuasive technical document that cuts through the competition.
I found much value in attending this year's PEPS conference and urge you to participate if you haven't yet. Watch this link for more information on the 2025 PEPS Conference, scheduled for December 9-10 2025 in Frisco, TX.
You can access the presentations from the 2024 PEPS conference at this link.
How HDB can help: For more information on how HDB can help you streamline your TxDOT proposal process, schedule a discovery call or read our TxDOT Proposals breakdown to learn more.
Looking for insider tips and strategies to create winning TxDOT Proposals? Click here to sign up.