Red Team

It was a tremendous step in the evolution of proposals when people began to recognize that every proposal should have a formal review by people other than those who wrote it. This review is almost universally called a "Red Team" review.

A Red Team can, at best, help convert a sure loser into a winner. However, in practice Red Teams are often carried out in a flawed manner that prevents them from achieving their goals. If any of the following is true, your Red Team is at best not doing the job right, and at worst:

Reviewing a proposal involves a lot more than assessing compliance, style, and checking for typos. Here is a list of questions that reviewers should consider:

As a member of evaluation teams (for example, Red Teams), I see the same weaknesses in most proposals. In addition, I’m often asked to evaluate the quality of proposals previously submitted by a company.

Possibly the most important tool that helps a proposal win the contract is a good Red Team review. With a good process and the right people, the Red Team can turn a loser into a winner. However, the review process can be cumbersome, confusing to writers, and highly ineffective if not handled appropriately for the situation.