Copyright 2005 Cavyl Stewart
Part 1 of this series described five critical components
for creating a winning proposal. In some instances, these components are all a prospective client needs to make a determination and award the job. Be sure to carefully review the request for proposal to determine the amount of information you need to include in your proposal.
Remember, each proposal is unique.
Here are five more tips to keep in mind when preparing a winning proposal.
Tip #6 – Properly Estimate Job Costs
Selecting the right price for the proposed work is a
delicate balancing act. Pricing the job too low could
cause you to lose money on the job. Also, a bid that's too
low might be perceived by the client as unrealistic and
cause you to lose the bid. Take time to properly consider
the amount of time and materials involved in completing the
tasks you have outlined and price the job accordingly.
Tip #7 – Add Meat as Necessary
Proposal requirements vary greatly. If you're putting
together a proposal for a major corporation or a government job, you'll probably need extensive documentation.
Examples of additional information that might be required include sub-contractor agreements, non-disclosure forms, contingency plans, change order procedures, risk analysis data, benchmark results and more. If the request for proposal asks for it, be sure you include it.
Tip #8 – Don't Reveal Too Much!
When submitting your proposed solution to the prospective client's problem, you must not reveal too much information. You need to satisfactorily explain your approach while at the same time keeping some information to yourself. Sound confusing? How about this: If you tell the client exactly how to solve the problem, the client might decide to implement your solution without your assistance! You'll lose out on the bid, not because your approach was inadequate, but because you explained it so well the client did not need an outside company to implement it.
Tip #9 – Proper Presentation
Once you've gathered all the important components for your proposal, take time to ensure it is properly presented.
Put together a Table of Contents and check that all copies
of all documents are proofread, smudge-free and in the
correct order. Finally, insert the proposal into a
suitable binder. Give the finished document a final
review; it's your last chance to correct any mistakes.
Submit the proposal according to the instructions provided
and make sure it is delivered before the submission
deadline. If possible, deliver the proposal in person.
You never know who you'll encounter on the receiving end!
Tip #10 – Investigate the Winning Bid
If your company is not awarded the bid, try to learn more
about the company that did submit the winning proposal.
Put on your investigator hat. Find out the price submitted with the winning bid and the approach that was proposed.
Research the company itself. Use whatever you discover as
a learning tool for the next time. The information just
might help your company put together the next winning
proposal.
And there you have it – ten tips for submitting a winning proposal. Good Luck!
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osals.php