Government Proposal & RFP Writing
Write Winning Government Proposals & RFPs
By Theodore Watson, Esq
Proposal writing for a government contract means writing a winning bid that not only gets the government excited about doing business with you but also creating a winning RFP proposal that beats your competitor. There is only one winner. Most government Requests for Proposals (RFP) contain confusing language and incorporate contract clauses that many contractors are unfamiliar with.
To become successful, one must demonstrate confidence and understanding the procurement rules. Never run the risk of adding to much marketing fluff. Not only does the government hate it but it actually minimizes your credibility.
Agencies spot these types of bidders immediately and thus set the proposal package to the bottom of the pile. Effective proposal writers prepare RFP responses by implementing:
- A workable outline that includes all aspects of the award criteria
- A solid display of strong management and key personnel
- A convincing technical approach to solving the government’s problem
- Sound Quality Assurance Plans and risk management strategies
- A strategy that explains the industry problems and how to solve them
Federal Bids Must Overcome Past Performance Hurdles. When you bid for government contracts, it’s not all about price. There are more hoops to jump through. A potential bidder must show that the company has completed similar work in the past that is similar /relevant and within the past three years. The reality is that not all companies engaged in government bidding have alot of past performance with the government.
The truth is that you don’t need to. You only have to show that you have comparable commericial experience.
What if you don’t have any past performance at all? The best way to handle this is to seek relationships with large primes as subcontractors or even other small businesses. The Federal Acquisition Regulation allows the agency to consider your subcontractor’s past performance.
Government RFPwriting requires an in-depth knowledge of the rules. Unless you have an experienced proposal writer or proposal consultant that can guide you down the right path, you might just be spinning your wheels. Creating more of s focus on a strong technical ability and management staff can actually minimize some of the risk to the government if you don’t have the requisite past performance. Lastly, if you lack past performance, government contract law allow the agency to trade off for a lower price.
Our government RFP and proposal writing consultants teach clients across the country how to better apply the rules in their favor.
Government Proposals Must Demonstrate Low Risk. You can be the best contractor in town. However, when it comes to federal bids, must demonstrate a strong risk mitigation or quality assurance plan. Remember, federal contracts take taxpayers’ dollars. Therefore, your government proposal must show that you pose the least risk to the agency. Most proposal consulting firms miss the part in the proposal writing process.
Do Not Carelessly Lose Your Award in a Bid Protest. When you hire a government proposal writer, you can be certain of there level of qualifications when you address avoiding a bid protest. Not only will you get a puzzled look but you will also find that most proposal consulting firms cannot address the issues that become fertile ground for a bid protest.
These include: Unduly relying on a subcontractor or teaming partner to perform the critical parts of the project; letting a teaming partner or subcontractor conduct all management for the project. These matters are considered the “kiss of death” when it comes to RFP proposals.
Know That Your Proposal Writer is Qualified. A substantial amount of companies seek the best in-house English writer or hire technical writers in hope of winning the ‘big contract.’ A few tips in knowing whether you have invested $20,000 to $50,000 in the right person should rest on a few things:
- What can they tell you about the regulatory rules governing a government proposal?
- Does his or her proposal writing experience include actually awarding government contracts?
- What suggestions does the proposal writer have to beat your competitor (best value to the government)
These questions must be answered without hesitation. Why? Because a successful RFP proposal must address these factors. Each government Request for Proposal contains numerous FAR clauses and additional obligations. A proposal writer must be able to talk about your experience or sources on compliance when you bid for government contracts.
The Cost of Proposal Writing for a Government Contract. Businesses sometimes try to haggle on the cost for government RFP consultants. The old saying that “you get what you pay for” actually applies here. If a contract is over a million dollars AND you find an experienced proposal writing service or consulting firm, then the average cost of a government RFP response should be about $17K- $23K for a contract worth $1Million. For federal bids over $ 3 Million, expect to pay upwards to $54K.
The key is to find proposal consulting professionals that know what they are doing. In that sounds expensive, then consider what it should really take to get $1-30 Million Dollars.
How to Propose a Strong Technical Proposal. An area of common weakness in federal contract bidders is the ability to offer an exceptional technical proposal. This is generally one of the highest graded criteria for award. You must convince the government that your team is competent and has the ability to effectively manage the project if your company is awarded the contract. An example of how you can improve your technical capability is to:
- Specifically tailor each resume to meet the requirements of the statement of work. Never just submit an old resume
- Create bios of the key players and tell the government what they have done in the past
- Submit proof of certifications although the proposal does not ask for it
If you need proposal writing help for a government RFP, feel free to contact our experts for immediate help. Call 1-866-601-5518.
