[Editor's Note: In a recent issue, John Lauderdale expressed the view that bidders should "almost never" begin writing their proposal prior to release of the RFP. Carl Dickson has a different view. Below he explains how to prepare a "straw man" RFP and describes the benefits of starting early.]
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Asking Questions on Your Next RFP
I’ve never seen a perfect RFP. No one else has, either. The Government uses its bidders to do a lot of the de-bugging of its solicitations, functioning as an unpaid quality assurance staff.
Five Easy Ways to Improve Your Proposals
There are many ways to improve you proposal process, and improve your proposals. Most of these ways involve spending money, from "not much“ to "a lot“. Here are five ways to improve your proposals at low cost:
Proposal Departments: Whether to Use Permanent Staff or Consultants
Every company that creates proposals faces the question:
- Do we use permanent staff or
- Do we outsource the proposal function, by using consultants?
Volume Management: Getting the Best, Quickly, from Your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
In this series, we have already written about the importance of the Capture Plan and the Proposal Plan. These documents, and the activities that go with them, are the responsibilities of the Capture Manager and Proposal Manager, respectively.
The Proposal Plan: The Proposal Manager Prepares this Document to Guide the Proposal Creation Activity
In this series, we have already written about the importance of the Capture Plan. During the proposal creation process, another of the key documents is the Proposal Plan.
Tips on Winning Proposals
Carefully “Shred“The Request For Proposal (Or Bid, Etc.) Before Making A Bid/No Bid Decision
“Shredding“ means breaking down each element of the customer or client request. You can do this manually or use an automated process tool that includes
Pre-Proposal Goals Help Build Winners
Let's take the high road. You've received the draft RFP and you have approximately four weeks until the final is released. These weeks can count toward a victory. Don't waste them. If you follow the simple step-by-step plan within this article, your company can be optimally positioned for that final RFP.
Storyboards Why Bother?
A lot of misunderstanding exists about storyboards. This is partly because, when they are not properly implemented, data acquired in the storyboard process does not make it into the files that the writers start with. To often, storyboards are treated as a discreet step that, once finished, is never looked back upon -- storyboards become a brainstorming tool that every one is forced into. No wonder so many people try to avoid doing them.
The Top 10 Ways to Lose a Proposal
10) Start after RFP release. The winner has already started, the clock is ticking, and you don’t have you act together? No bid.
9) Start writing with the intent to improve the draft. You’re going to write it wrong and then correct it with no way of knowing when it’s right? No bid.
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Editing (2)
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Key Personnel (1)
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Red Team (5)
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Resume Preparation (1)
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Proposal Coordination (2)
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Writing Past Performance (2)
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Orals Coaching (11)
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Proposal Protests (5)
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Proposal Management (23)
- Getting Prepared to Win Large Proposals
- Difficulties in Determining Best Value
- The Proposal Manager's Tasks
- Maintaining Positive Contracting Officer Relationships...A List of Do and Don't Recommendations
- Unsolvable Problem: Your Proposal Team Argues over Proposal Quality
- Planning Your Solution vs. Planning Your Content
- The Proposal Plan: The Proposal Manager Prepares this Document to Guide the Proposal Creation Activity
- Five Popular Ways to Write A Losing Proposal
- Cost of Preparing Proposals
- The Challenge of Preparing Task Order Proposals
- Why Create Your Own Draft RFP?
- Asking Questions on Your Next RFP
- Five Easy Ways to Improve Your Proposals
- Proposal Departments: Whether to Use Permanent Staff or Consultants
- Volume Management: Getting the Best, Quickly, from Your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
- The Proposal Plan: The Proposal Manager Prepares this Document to Guide the Proposal Creation Activity
- Tips on Winning Proposals
- Pre-Proposal Goals Help Build Winners
- Storyboards Why Bother?
- The Top 10 Ways to Lose a Proposal
- The Top 10 Ways to Ensure Proposal Success
- The First Five Days
- Decomposing a Solicitation can be Fun
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Earned Value Management (1)
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Competition Analysis (8)
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Risk Management (1)
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Capture Management (13)
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Proposal Evaluation (1)
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Government Procurement (9)
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Proposal Group Management (9)
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Contract Management (9)
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Business Development (6)
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Virtual Proposal Preparation (1)
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Unsolicited Proposals (1)
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Performance Based Service Contracts (PBSC) (3)
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