Proposal Development

A common question we receive is, “What’s your win probability?” My response: Our win probability would be significantly higher if we weren’t constantly asked to write proposals for small, one-person operations bidding on large-scale contracts that require a staff of 25. These companies often expect us to somehow propose a staffing plan that simply isn’t feasible.

We actively eliminate these mismatches from the start. Our capture and proposal teams—often the same individuals—are held to strict standards and undergo systematic audits to ensure alignment with realistic, sustainable growth objectives. Our approach is focused on helping you build capacity and achieve incremental success, rather than chasing after unrealistic, one-off opportunities that promise rapid growth at the risk of failure.

We prioritize long-term, strategic development over the notion of becoming the next Lockheed Martin with a single contract win.

Our proposal writers come from diverse backgrounds, including IT, staffing, defense, construction, and manufacturing, with experience in both large and small businesses and a proven track record of wins. Each of us adheres to a methodology grounded in the Shipley process, ensuring a consistent, structured approach to proposal development.

Our Approach:

• Tailored Proposal Development:
  We understand that small business owners often wear many hats. Our team is skilled at structuring a proposal development cycle that works best for you while ensuring alignment with the Shipley methodology and other best practices used by large companies.

• Comprehensive Proposal Process:
  Our process includes all essential phases, such as:

  • Formation & Outline
  • Red Team Reviews
  • Gold Team Review
  • Pricing Analysis & Strategy

• Market Analysis & Competitive Intelligence:
  We don’t just take your word for it. Our team analyzes the market to understand:

  • Who else is likely to respond to this bid
  • Competitor pricing and incumbent pricing
  • How to position your proposal to be competitive (including strategic Red Team reviews)

• Technical Expertise:
  If you’re familiar with the color-coded review systems or have your own, we invite you to engage with our bid writers to discuss your methodology at a technical level.

Key Deliverables:

• Proposal Master Template:
  A comprehensive, continually refined 40-page document that includes:

  • Past Performance
  • Company Profile
  • Cover/Executive Summary/Introduction/Conclusion
  • Past Performance Master Sheet

• Proposal Writing & Follow-ups:
  We not only write the proposal, but we also manage follow-ups, ensuring your proposal stays on track and is positioned for success.

• Government Contract Vehicles:
  We support various contract vehicles, including:

  • IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity)
  • GSA (General Services Administration)
  • GWAC (Government-wide Acquisition Contracts)
  • MATOC (Multiple Award Task Order Contracts)
  • BPA (Blanket Purchase Agreements)
  • And any other acronyms or vehicles the government introduces

Beyond Proposal Writing:

We don’t just help you write bids—we take a holistic approach, ensuring each proposal connects seamlessly with the next step in the contracting process.