1、CreatingEffectiveProposalsProposalWriting-GuidelinesandHints,CONSULTING,Re-usingMaterial,ReusableMaterial-textorgraphicsfrompreviousproposalsthataddresssimilarrequirementsDontthrowboilerplatetogetherandcallitasectionClients/evaluatorsknowwhentheyrereadinggenerictext,andresentit!Thoroughlyreviewandmo

2、difyanytextorgraphicsyoureuseTailorthematerialtotheclientandtheRFPCommonlyreusedmaterial-qualifications,clientprofiles,resumes,statistics,capabilities,graphicsAlwaysdangeroustoreusetechnicalsolutions/approaches,ProposalTone,BeginsentenceswiththeclientsconcernShowunderstandingandempathyofthatconcern-

3、provethatyouknowtheclient(names,sites,systems)RespondtothatconcernBedirect,confidentandassertive,butnotarrogantGuardagainsttoomanyparagraphsbeginning:“KPMGunderstands.”or“KPMGrecognizes.”SubstantiateclaimswithstatisticsandexamplesSuperlativesaregenerallybad(cantbesubstantiated)Mixtheuseof“we”and“KPM

4、G”throughout,ProposalToneExamples,ProperExample:“Overthepastseveralyears,theUniversityofMassachusetts,Amhersthasinitiatedabroadreviewofitsadministrativesystems,resultingintheselectionofthePeopleSoftStudentAdministrationSystem.“BasedonyourRFP,werecognizethatUMassdesiresspecificassistancerelatedtotheb

5、usinessprocessredesignofyourstudentservices,andfit-gapanalysesfortheseimprovedprocesses.”ImproperExample:,“KPMGisthegloballeaderineverymeaningfulandquantifiableway.”(!),ProposalTense,Use“active”voice-theactorcomesbeforetheverbAvoid“passive”voice-noactor,vague,unresponsiveCorrect:“KPMGwilldevelopthes

6、ystem.”Incorrect:“Thesystemwillbedeveloped.”Followthe“truetense”rule,whetherpast,present,orfutureCorrect:“Thecurrentsysteminterfaceswith.”“Thefuturesystemwillincreaseaccess”Incorrect:“Thefuturesysteminterfaceswith”,BulletLists,BreakuplengthynarrativeChangeasentencethatlistsmanyitemstoabulletlistAvoi

7、dswitchingtense,voice,ortonewithinthelistUseparallelwordingtostarteachbullet(thesamekindofword-verb,noun,adjective,etc.)CapitalizethefirstwordofeachbulletinthelistIntroducebulletlistwithacolon,thenseparateeachbulletwitheitherasemi-colonornothingExampleofaconsistentbulletlist:,“TheNASAsystemwillprovi

8、dethefollowingbenefits:IncreasedresponsetimeImprovedcustomerserviceImmediatedataaccess”,Graphics,AnothergreatwaytobreakupcontinuoustextMucheasiertoreadandreviewDepictprocesses,flows,activitiesbetterthantextCanbetables,matrices,orfull-scalefoldoutsServemanypurposessuchas:Staffing:names,skills,yearsof

9、experience,org.chartsQualifications:statistics,dates,projects,numbersWorkplan:tasks,hours,staffassignedTechnical:diagrams,architectures,systemdesignsTraining:coursestructure,methodologyRFPrequirementscompliancechecklist,GrammarandPunctuation,Insertacommaaftereachelementinaseriesofmorethantwoelements

10、,andinnumbersof1,000ormoreUsetwospaces:betweennumbersandtitleofsectionheadingsafterperiodsandcolonsUseonespaceaftercommasandsemicolonsReferenceothersectionsoftheproposalwhenappropriate,assuch:Insection4.3,“PotentialProblems,”wediscussourriskmanagementpolicies.,FollowWordConventions,Referto“conventio

11、nwordlist”establishedbyProposalCoordinatorHelpsdifferentwriters/sectionssoundconsistentEasesfinaleditingsomewhat(search/replacelist)Whenindoubt,defertoRFP/clientusagePrimeexamples:projectvs.engagementclient/servervs.client-serverUNIXvs.Unixdatabasevs.databaseworkplanvs.workplanRunspellcheckEVERYtime

12、youexitafile!,AdditionalLanguageGuidelines,Avoidusingsuperlatives(“all,every,never”)KPMGLegalalsofrownsonitUse“exceedstherequirements”sparinglyifwereallydo,weshouldexplainhowandwhyAvoidtheambiguous“etc.”attheendofaseriesUsewordsfornumberslessthan10Usenumberswhenreferringtotime,money,distance,orperce

13、ntageAvoid“i.e.”and“e.g.”-use“forexample”Avoid“via”-use“through”or“using”Knowdifferencebetween“its”and“its”“KPMGstaff”issingular,“personnel”areplural;“datum”issingular,“data”areplural,“Support,ProvideandEnsure”,MostoverusedwordsinproposalsUsedsomuchtheycanbegintolosetheirmeaningSomesuggestedalternat

14、ives:advocate,affirm,aid,approve,assist,confirm,control,convey,demonstrate,develop,direct,effect,enable,encourage,enhance,establish,execute,facilitate,favor,improve,leadto,maintain,manage,monitor,obtain,offer,perform,promote,resultin,strengthen,verify,VersionsandRevisions,UseMSWord“Comments”featuref

15、ornotestotherevieweroryourself(outstandingissues,holes)HavereviewersuseMSWord“Revisions”featureonsoft-copyeditssoyoucanseethechangesmadetoyourtextAlwaysmaintainacopy(andbackupcopy)ofthemostrecentversionofyourdocumentdifferentversionsfloatingaroundcausenightmaresuseversionnumberingconventionsWhenrevisingtext,havetheRFP/OFShandy,Summary,Re-readtheRFP/OFSrequirementsandevaluationcriteriaThinkbeforeyoustartwritingUseoutlinesandgraphicstoorganizethoughtsCustomizethetexttotheclient-usespecificexamplesUsebulletsandtablesforclarityLookforgraphicsopportuni