interAmerica Analytics Proposal Services
My Personal Proposal Style
My proposal management style closely follows the Shipley proposal process. Although not certified with Shipley, I have followed their process closely. I have found it a clean, logical progression, which has assured an appropriate focus on all sections and nuances of any request for proposal (RFP) or request for information (RFI) or any other related proposal document. I adhere to Shipley’s processing from the initial document review, assuring our work will miss no detail.
My input into the Shipley methodology is in the area of compliance. I have found compliance with the customer’s needs and requests to be vital. It can mean success or failure. The final solution must be integrated well with requirements. Customer’s must-see in your writing, and now more than ever before in the graphics that almost tell the story without the written word, how well you understand their concerns, and with the solution you design, how well you will meet or exceed their requirements. In my opinion, that message must be illuminated from page one and embedded in the technical aspect of all proposed work.
At the onset, I create a compliance-rich matrix of the RFP to which Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and other writers must adhere. I found focusing on compliance at the onset has improved technical documentation while keeping writers focused not only on the technical aspects of the effort but also on accounting for the customer’s needs and requests. This compliance-forward approach also allows for cross-referencing throughout the entire project. Making a technical statement can then cross-reference to the exact paragraph or sentence clarifying the customer’s requests or needs, which immediately indicates to your customer how well you understand their specific requirements and how well you will address point by point. This approach requires writers and SMEs to be those who are very involved in learning about their consumers.
As the manager, I spend time carefully going through the RFP to ascertain those particular nuggets -- RFP gold -- where the customer states precisely why they need help and articulate their need. RFPs can be challenging to read as many customers have difficulty expressing their concerns and how they need it to be corrected. But in the documents, when carefully studied, I have always found that paragraph, sentence, or phrase where the customer reveals their actual need. The writer then has the information they need to prepare a genuine, well-focused, and technically appropriate response. I feel that is the proposal manager’s responsibility as it provides the guidance and path on which the entire team will walk.
It is kick-off day’s starting line.
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