Writing winning proposals is an art!
by Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
Proposals now being submitted to public entities by firms vying for contracting opportunities have become extremely competitive. Many formal proposals, at all levels of government, are now considered to be “far beyond the norm.” And, more often than not, proposal innovation pays off with big wins.
Proposal innovation includes offering benefits such as creative financing, zero transition costs, ROI analysis and an impressive lineup of well-known subject matter experts who will be involved if the bidder is successful. Proposal innovation also includes graphics, videos, creative outreach and appealing photography.
Good proposals always start with an impressive Executive Summary that explains the bidder’s commitment to and involvement in the region or state where the contracting award will be made. It helps to localize the bidding firm as much as possible. Every evaluator will read the bidding overview so this is a critical section of the bid document.
Winning proposals have other things in common. For example, they are professional in appearance and arrive at least hours before the stated deadline. They tell a compelling story and offer a proven solution. Other common features include:
- Good proposals are written by people who understand the uniqueness of the public sector. The verbiage is carefully worded, politically correct and easy to understand.
- Value propositions are stated, restated and messaged in numerous ways. Good proposals never allow any reader to miss the unique and beneficial value propositions being offered…even if only one section of the proposal is read by an evaluator.
- Winning proposals are prepared with strict attention to format, and a precise following of RFP guidelines. Simply put, the proposals are easy to score because the document follows a script outlined by the governmental entity and nothing has been left to chance.
- Solutions and/or services being offered are explained in simple terms and followed by references to success in similar circumstances. ROI is always a critical component and should be included in all proposals.
- Winning proposals usually exceed minority subcontracting guidelines. And, great proposals include subs with recognized credibility, known capabilities and local ties.
- Good proposals address transition issues while offering attractive options that other competitors will not make available.
- Reference accounts with other public entities are listed. Additionally, individual contact information is provided so that references can be called. Bidders preparing proposals should be extremely carefully in making sure that all listed references will be available and are agreeable to taking calls.
- Pricing is appropriate because the bidder has checked on budget allocations, past spending history and current contract pricing.
- Legal issues are accepted. Bidders should realize that evaluators will toss out proposals that raise too many legal exceptions. Simply put, government decision-makers will not select vendors or service providers who appear to have too many issues with a legal contract that the public entity plans to negotiate.
Public officials don’t make quick decisions when it comes to awarding contracts. However, when a company is selected, it is quite a victory. Government contracts are tied to large sums of money and continue for years if there are no problems.
When bidders realize that the only way to communicate with proposal evaluators is through a bid document, it becomes very clear why the proposal should be the best work a company is capable of producing.
Good luck with the next one!
Mary Scott Nabers is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., a 15-year-old procurement consulting and procurement research firm headquartered in Austin, Texas.
