Complimentary Webinar Government Proposal Writing for Newcomers Richard
Complimentary Webinar: Government Proposal Writing for Newcomers Richard White rwhite@fedmarket. com 888 -661 -4094 x 5809 (Office) 301 -908 -0546 (Cell) 888 -661 -4094 Press “ 2” for Sales
Richard White Mr. White founded a federal contracting company is 1973. He built the company form its inception $170 million in sales before selling the company in 1989. As CEO of his company he headed a 300 -person computer services organization and a 1, 200 -person federal facility management division. Earning a B. S. in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science, Mr. White dedicated his career to government contracting and computer-related fields. He has served as a management consultant with Booz, Allen, & Hamilton and as President of Macro Systems, Inc. Mr. White is a recognized expert in government marketing and sales. He knows the nuances of selling to governments, including the sales processes used for individual government markets defined by procurement size, multiple award schedule sales, negotiated procurement sales, and proposal writing. Mr. White is the author of seven books on government contracting and is a frequent speaker on federal contracting topics. He teaches the good, bad, and ugly of government contracting and how to win government contracts in the unique and the seemingly irrational world of government bureaucracies. www. fedmarket. com
Complimentary Webinars q GSA Schedules 101 - In a quandary about GSA? What is it, why do I need q Government Proposal Writing for Newcomers - Is there a secret to one, do I really need one? Your questions and more answered right here. Companion e. Book: GSA Schedules: The Shortest Path to Federal Sales writing a winning government proposal? Not really, but there are 2 critical aspects not to overlook. Companion e. Book: Government Proposal Writing for Newcomers www. fedmarket. com
What Everyone Should Know • Avoid writing proposals for customers who don’t know you. Opportunities may appear wide-open to all when they have already been pre-sold by one or more companies. Pre-selling is encouraged in federal regulations. • Requests for Proposal (RFPs) are made purposely complex to justify contract awards. • Proposal writing is complex, frustrating, and expensive. • Proposal length - 25 pages to thousands of pages depending on contract size. • Proposal costs - $ 2, 000 to a million of more depending on contact size. www. fedmarket. com
Proposal Writing is a Learned Skill • Proposal writing requires is a learned skill like playing winning poker. • You have to have written winning proposals to be successful. • Write a few losers, hire an experienced person, or contract with Fedmarket. • Government evaluators hate evaluating proposals as much as contractors hate writing them. • Evaluators typically read proposals late at night after half a bottle of wine. www. fedmarket. com
Proposals are Driven by Sections L & M • Section L Proposal Instructions & Section M Evaluation Criteria of RFPs tell you precisely what evaluators want. • Give them what they want, no more, no less (by far the most violated fundamental of proposal writing). • Stress risk reduction, efficiencies and cost reduction, and knowledge of the contact environment • How can you present a low cost solution without knowing the customer? • Multiple award RFPs may not require customer knowledge. www. fedmarket. com
Typical Sections L & M Section L Proposal Instructions Section M Evaluation Criteria Technical Approach (30 pages) Contract organization plan Staffing plan Quality assurance plan 30 Management Plan (20 pages) Approach to monitoring contract performance Communication with the government Reporting procedures 20 Personnel (no page limitation) Contract Manager resume (key person) Chief technical expert (key person) 20 Corporate Experience (no page limitation) Submit three summaries of relevant past performance Send evaluation questionnaires to the three customers 30 www. fedmarket. com
Winning Proposals are Based on L & M and Are Easy to Read • Evaluators want succinctness, clarity, easy to read text, with no frills. • Evaluators want quick ways to get through the submissions; 100% compliance, any less will result in a rejection. • Evaluators hate sales puffery like: ABC Co is a world class service firm with collective experience exceeding 100 person years. Limit graphics that say nothing, company logos, and fanciness in general. • Evaluators typically say: “the beauty is clearly done to avoid telling me the low risk solution in simple terms. They have built hundreds of office building across the country but the construction company down the street has built 10 high quality barracks for us at low cost. www. fedmarket. com
Start an Outline by Deconstructing the RFP • Clear and concise proposals must start with an outline. • Read the RFP cover to cover and construct a Compliance Matrix/Proposal Writing Schedule • Primary Data Elements in Compliance Matrix: • • • RFP Section Number: RFP Requirement Text: (cut & pasted form RFP), e. g. , Proposed Contract Organization Proposal Page Number: (entered later from proposal) www. fedmarket. com
Start an Outline by Deconstructing the RFP continued Set Up Proposal Chapters/Tabs/Sections (Primary Breaks) in a Word Document • Executive Summary (sometimes) • Compliance Matrix (always) • Technical Approach (sometimes) • Management Plan (sometimes) • Personnel (usually summaries and resumes of key people) • Corporate Experience (usually 3 – 6 summaries of corporate experience) • Business Proposal Instructions (not submitted as part of the proposal) • Proposal Submittal Instructions (not submitted as part of the proposal) www. fedmarket. com
Expand the Outline • Move RFP requirement text from Compliance Matrix into outline • Move model text (if any) and key sales points into outline • Enter assigned text from section writers • Edit, review, and submit www. fedmarket. com
Other Proposal Considerations • Update outline for every RFP amendment (critical) • Proposal writing projects invariably turn into crises. • Management typically assigns the project and then goes into hiding; except the final review on the last day before submission. • Your writers will avoid proposals like the plague. • Loses are demoralizing; I worked all weekend and we lost. www. fedmarket. com
Fedmarket’s Proposal Writing Template Features • Presents model text and instructions for all RFP volumes in a model proposal template • Includes instructions for reverse engineering (deconstructing) the RFP into the template • Includes a structured outlining procedure for developing a compelling technical approach, the creative portion of a federal proposal The template also provides a technical approach writing tool based on task logic tables. The tool assists technical writers in sharing ideas in a collaborative manner with the objective of maximizing technical evaluation scores. www. fedmarket. com
Fedmarket’s Proposal Writing Services Proposal Services ØProposal Writing ØCustomized Proposal Training at Your Location – call 888 -661 -4094, Ext. 2 for details www. fedmarket. com
Proposal Templates Proposal Writing Template (full version) q RFP Templates q Price Templates q Call Fedmarket’s sales staff at 888 -661 -4094, Ext. 2 with have questions concerning products/services. www. fedmarket. com
Fedmarket’s Proposal Writing Tools, Services and Seminars Ø Basic Cost Proposal Workshop Ø Intermediate Cost Proposal Workshop Ø Advanced Cost Proposal Workshop www. fedmarket. com
Other Available Complimentary Book Downloads § Rolling the Dice in DC: How the Federal Sales Game is Really Played § Cracking the $500 Billion Federal Market: The Small Business Guide to Federal Sales § Loading the Dice in DC, Legally: Learn the Politics and Realities of Federal Contracting § Government Contracting for Donkeys www. fedmarket. com
About Fedmarket assists companies in obtaining federal contracts by providing training and consulting services and online market intelligence services. • Training • Proposal writing • Buyer contact lists (standard and customized for your company) Please call me at personally at 301. 908. 0546 if you would like to discuss any aspect of federal sales, or call Fedmarket’s sales team at 888 -6614094, Ext. 2. Richard White Fedmarket 301. 908. 0546 rwhite@fedmarket. com www. fedmarket. com
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