First, you have to know your business inside and out. Whether you provide a good or a service, you must not only look at the sticker price. You must understand the entire chain of events that lead to a single sale. Understand that writing a proposal can and in most cases be a team effort involving, but not limited to departments such as the product engineers, the production line, production managers, heads of departments, HR, accounting and the C-suite. Basically, everybody but the janitorial staff and even them if they possess vital information.
A Proposal Is Not A Grant
A grant persuades people to give you free money. A proposal is not a pitch. It’s supporting documentation to allow the government to understand that your company can provide what you say it can at a fair and reasonable price in a justified amount of time.
Know Government Terminology
They may use different words that mean the same thing. Use their vocabulary. Not yours. One thing I did as a Contracting Officer (CO) is demand government vocabulary from the outset of a project. This was easily done with a gentle but corrective nudge. This way everybody understands all pertinent communication.
Answer The Ask
Each solicitation is specific as to what the government is looking for. Once they gather information they know exactly what they want. If you don’t offer enough then you’re out. If you offer too much then you’re out. No questions. No do-overs.
Provide Well Written Content
Not only do the necessary standard forms have to be current, complete and accurate. So does agency-specific paperwork and pricing spreadsheets. This includes dates and signatures. Remember, a technical proposal puts your business practices into words. They are not always required, but I recommend always including one.
Show your stuff. Use big boy words, pertinent math and employees names’ who will guide the buy. List tools, software and methodologies that demonstrate knowledge, skills and abilities.
This blog is not an example of professional writing . It’s professional content displayed in a simplified manner to heighten knowledge and understanding of a complex subject-matter.
Gather Information
What’s my budget? Can you fulfill contractual responsibilities alongside your commercial responsibilities? Does the time and money line up?
How long will this project take? There won’t be dueling pianos forever, but do you have the time and money to conduct parallel projects for an allotted amount of time? You gotta know.
What departments and suppliers will contribute to your federal project? Keep them briefed and let them contribute. That means video chats and meetings.
Timeframe Of Response
There’s a limited amount of time to respond and a limited amount of vendors who negotiate. Act accordingly. Time is sparse and deadlines come quick.
Scoring & Selection
The solicitation houses the criteria. I was taught, “Good, Fast or Cheap? You can’t have all three!” That’s generally the synopsis of how you are scored, but the ratings can be adjectival (Good, Fair or Excellent), color (red, yellow or green), numeric (1, 2, 3) or whatever scoring mechanism is created by the CO.
Selection
Upon the completion of negotiation, the government will send rejection letters to those who they could not come to an agreement with. The successful vendor will receive a synopsis of the negotiations which can be accepted or rejected with further discussions or negotiations.
Supply Management Evaluation
The government has the right to walk through your company and understand production, management and accounting practices which will be used to obtain pricing, terms and conditions which make up the agreed upon business deal.
Hot Takes
Implement in-house documentation when appropriate. This means letterheads, commercial pricelists, etc. Don’t use brochures or catalogs, though. You’re not selling. You’re documenting.
Make this a company-wide effort. Use it as a growing opportunity. The C-suite may do the talking, but others can build knowledge.
Plain writing works best. Don’t try to look smart. Be smart.
Make your first impression last. Get the government what they want first. Then write documents such as cover letters, competitor comparisons and executive summaries if you think they need them.
Don’t forget past performance and references on similarly scoped projects. This can also include case studies and visual aids if appropriate.
Draft an internal outline of the project from start to finish. Distribute it to all involved parties. Don’t forget to include regular meetings to discuss progress and pitfalls. Other internals may include boilerplate language or documents, a writing guide and contact information for all involved.
Don’t forget to proofread. It’s good to have a set of eyes at every involved level do so before submission. You can use automated technology, too.
Drafting a proposal takes time. If you do your research then you can create many pieces before you even find a solicitation to answer.
I reviewed proposals for about ten years in the government totaling $1.8B and I was trained by retired execs and military brass at the VA Acquisition Academy.
If you think I can help you then email nicholas.s.robertson@outlook.com for your introductory email and free consultation.
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