Planning, Managing, Developing a Proposal

Planning, Managing, Developing a

Proposal

Tracing Steps…

Why do people dread, fear, run from, avoid,

procrastinate proposals, and subsequently lose sleep,

patience, politeness, and eventually search for new

jobs?

Overview of First Steps to Help….

• Architectural development of all proposals • Assigned roles and responsibilities

• Planned Review Team schedule

• Committed team reviews with consistent participants

• Schedule is unchangeable – it should be detailed and set in beginning

• Volume lead for each volume will funnel work to Proposal Coordinator/Manager

• Production Plan – part of kick-off, roles will be clear

• Capture manager, proposal manager, production manager for each proposal

• Standing meetings – establish core team to attend and make decisions

Planning and

Compliance Build Develop

Produce and Submit

Clear Baseline Guidelines are Critical to Success

A 4-Phased Proven Approach

Phase 1: Planning and Compliance • Schedule • Compliance Matrix • Compliance Outlines • Volume Builds/Storyboards • First Data Calls

• Team Members

Phase 2: Building

• Storyboards and Workshops – Win Theme and Discriminators – Content Determination

– Key Decisions to Make – Data Call Needs

• Final Data Calls

Phase 3: Develop

•Red Team Development – Drafts of All Volumes •Gold Team Development

– Finalization of All Volumes

Output Process Maturity

Phase 4:

Produce and Submit

Final Edits, Compliance Check, Submission

• Roles/Responsibilities Defined • Proposal Protocol Established • Configuration Process

• Data Gathered and Assessed

• Pink Team Review and Approval to Proceed with Development

• Compliance/Configuration/ Production Control In Effect

• Evolving Review Team Reviews Incorporated

Phase 1: Planning and Compliance

The Beginning Point of Success. The proposal process itself is no different than other projects – it should be managed as a project.

Schedule

Kick off Meetings Begin Dates Pens Down Review Dates Data Calls Production Dates Submittal Management Reserve

Organization

RFP Questions

Data Call Management

Compliance Matrix

Outlines

Volume Builds

Roles and Assignments

Configuration Control

Status Meetings

Phase 2: Building (via Volume/Section Builds)

Think of all of the things that should be determined before

“writing” begins- think about who should determine these things - the writers? The core team? Who?

• Win Themes • Discriminators to be Used • Customer Understanding Points • PM • Key Personnel • Management Systems/Descriptions • Special Qualifications

• Technical Solution for SOW Requirements • Technical Basis for Pricing Inputs

• Finalizing Team Members

• Developing Base Pricing From Inputs • Providing All Supporting Documentation • Final Pricing

• Team Member Pricing

Outstanding

Decisions Data Needed

Graphics Needed

Clarifications Needed

Stop and Review

Prior to writing all phase 2 elements should be reviewed

and approved by the core team.

When this step occurs, as a first review, it drastically eliminates: • “Writing Time”

• Inefficiencies

• Late, Late Nights • Re-Dos

• Stress

Why? Because all of the key solution elements, including compliance (outlines) has been determined and approved.

First Review

Ensure the Architecture is Sound

• Are Outlines Complete, Compliant, and Accurate? • Are Themes and Strategies Placed Correctly?

• Is Customer Understanding Clearly Presented?

• Are the Solution Sets and Benefits Clearly Outlined? • Are Remaining Gaps Covered?

• Are Volume Decisions Made?

Phase 3: Development

Implement the Approved Architectural Design

• Contributors Provide Inputs • Graphics Finalized

• “Writer” Develops Content for Consistency to Central Messages, Theme, Style

• Proposal Style and Design Guide Implemented

• Components Built (Covers, Spines, Tabs, Compliance Matrices for Volumes)

Phase 3A: Develop (or Write)?

• The term “proposal writer” can be a little daunting – what does that mean – what should it mean?

• To be effective, the writer has all core determined elements at their disposal, reach back to technical experts, and is able to “write” or develop sections. Also known as: Volume Leads or Section Leads.

• Volume Leads/Section Leads should be the people best qualified to organize and write.

• A technical editor is the person who ensures perfection in writing and would not allow arrors such as this.

Technical Experts: Typically direct charge individuals. You don’t want them (typically) to be trained on how to write a proposal. You want their expertise- up to you (leads) to provide that method, so they can get back to their jobs and you can progress!

Phase 3B: Configuration Control

Strict configuration control is the single most important thing you can do once you have your solution sets approved and move into development. This should be set from the beginning and clearly communicated and strictly enforced.

Anytime this slips, even for one moment, problems begin. Consider the problems of configuration control loss:

• Lost inputs from last contributor • Conflicting inputs

• Late, late nights • Re-work

Phase 3B: Configuration Control

Enable Access While Maintaining Configuration Control

Phase 3C: Review

Preparing for Final

Reviews---Red Team

• 98% Solution

• All Graphics

Developed

• First Proof of

Proposal

Gold Team

• 100% Review

• Includes First

Production Run

(Post Edit)

Phase 3C: Detailed and Complete Reviews

Phase 4: Production

Production is more than printing the proposal. It represents:

• Final Compliance Check • Final Graphics Review • Final Writing/Tech Editing

• Final Polishing (it is a Marketing Document)

• Ensuring All Footers, Headings, Styles are Consistent and Match Including Covers, Spines,

• Delivery Methods/Prep/Packaging

Completion

• Final Editing

• One Voice Review

• Consistency/Appeal Modifications to Graphics • Final Headers and Footers Applied

• Final Covers, Spines, Tabs, Compliance Matrices Completed

• Final TOC’s, Figure Numbers, Cross-Referencing Checked

• Final Acronym List Check • Cover Letters Completed

Final Review

• White Glove/Page Turn Review • Final Sign-off Before Production

• Cover Letter Signatures and Other Signing Requirements

Final Production

A Highly Organized and Focused Effort

• Design Specs Check (Consistent Format, Colors, Style,) • Technical Editing (100% Accuracy)

• One Voice Assurance

• 100% End-To-End Compliance Check

• Quality Checked Page by Page Printing, Assembly • Electronic Copy Match Assurance

• Completed Compliance Matrix for Cross Referencing

• Advanced MS Word Tools Used for Auto Headings, Numbering, Cross Referencing in Captions, TOC, Table of Figures, Table of Tables, Acronym Lists