RFPs are tricky. Applying for jobs, same.
Especially if you are not already providing similar services for a company. Or you were not referred for a job. I have seen some things recently that I will like to share on both RFPs and cold job applications that may help someone.... I led the response to an RFP at my former Big4 workplace. When we saw that the client wanted the work done in 4 weeks, the firm was sceptical. Maybe they already knew who would do it, and this was to follow governance. But I was stubborn and decided to respond.

Introspecting on that trenches thread by @asemota
There are two types of trenches.
The physical and mental trenches.
The latter is one you can use to get out of the former.
Real and good education is the way to get out of mental trenches.
I will give some practical ideas. Growing up, my parents were teachers. We lived close to the schools where they worked. These were public schools in not nice part of Ibadan.
But one thing stood us apart in the environment - my parents being educated and their teaching jobs.

Problems are usually systemic and require digging deep for a sustainable solution. A short thread of how I learned to approach problems in a different way.
I will give some examples from work, study and an interview.
#SystemsThinking When I joined Vmobile in 2005, one of my bosses was an Afrikaner man from SA. People didn’t like him. He was hectic. Once he is coming to your desk, it is stress as something is most likely not working well. We were in the unit that gave you SMS, MMS, WAP, GPRS and other VAS.