proposal-development
Proposal Development
Produce a persuasive, compliant proposal for the client's specific buying decision. Start at the requested stage: opportunity assessment, win themes, proposal, SOW, or oral presentation. Do not require qualification of an already approved pursuit or recreate a signed agreement when the request is for a limited edit.
Use the RFP, conversation notes, firm credentials, staffing, and commercial inputs provided. Preserve mandatory format, section order, page limits, and submission requirements. Complete supported sections and flag missing credentials or inputs precisely. Do not invent client results, team members, certifications, competitor intelligence, references, or outcome percentages.
Understand the buying decision
Distinguish must-pass requirements from scored criteria and inferred preferences. Record submission deadlines, format, mandatory attachments, eligibility, evaluation weights, and clarification procedures. Trace each material requirement to its source, response location, evidence, owner, and completion status. A persuasive response that fails a mandatory requirement may be unusable.
For qualification when requested, assess fit, capability, capacity, economics, strategic value, and the cost of pursuit. State the basis for a go/no-go recommendation. Do not invent win probabilities or conclude that a deal is wired from one unusual requirement; identify evidence and questions to test that concern.
Develop win themes from the client's priorities and proof the firm can substantiate. A differentiator explains why this team or approach fits this problem and what evidence supports it. Conditional wording does not justify an unsupported savings range or implied track record.
Draft the requested artifact
For a proposal, connect the client's challenge to approach, deliverables, outcomes, team, evidence, investment, assumptions, and next decision. Adapt this arc to the required response order. Write the executive summary against the completed proposal so it reflects the actual scope and terms.
For a SOW, use proposal and SOW mechanics. Define boundaries, acceptance, client obligations, dependencies, pricing basis, and change control. Respect supplied contract terms and distinguish proposed provisions from agreed terms. Do not impose deemed acceptance, liability caps, or signature requirements as universal rules.