10 steps to winning a government contract Step 7

Step 7: Writing your proposal

By: John DiGiacomo and Jim Kleckner

March 7, 2006

Once you're ready to write your proposal, you must know all about the three basic types of solicitations and how to write your proposal based on what type of solicitation you're working with.

Editor's Note: This article is the seventh in a 10-part series that will appear occasionally in The FABRICATOR to let fabricators know what steps they can take to obtain a government contract. The sixth step in the process was discussed in the February issue.

So far you've priced the bid, reviewed the specifications, compared the pricing, and read and re-read the contract. Now you're ready to write your proposal.

A proposal can be written for one of two situations: either when the solicitation is an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or when it's a Request for Proposal (RFP), which is a negotiated bid.

First, let's address the basics. Solicitations come in three major types:

Invitation for Bid (IFB). This competitive contracting method is characterized by public openings of the bids, most of which are for contracts worth more than $100,000. The government knows exactly what it wants, how many it wants, and where the product is going. The award usually is based on price and other factors. Note: Read the evaluation or Statement of Work (SOW) factors.

Request for Proposal (RFP). Most people are used to hearing about this, but it's used only when the government does not know exactly what it wants and is looking for a way to find a solution for what it wants. This bid can be either competitive or noncompetitive, depending on what the product is and how fast the government needs it. Note: Read the evaluation factors.

Request for Quote (RFQ). The RFQ is used to find prices or market information and shouldn't be confused with the RFP. Remember that the government is looking for this information for a reason. Some companies don't respond to RFQs and then wonder why the government didn't tell them what it was looking for. The RFQ can be your heads-up that says, "Hey, contractor, I am looking for you!" Note: Read the evaluation factors.

Invitation for Bid

Most bids you'll work with will be IFBs, which basically means you'll fill out basic paperwork that you receive from the government. In other words, you'll fill in the blanks and send it in. In some cases, you'll be able to submit your bid on the Internet with your terms, price, and delivery. A computer will evaluate it, and you'll be sent an award automatically. No human interface takes place unless there's a problem. More and more solicitations for day-to-day, regular items are being processed this way.

Let's skim through the highlights of a simple IFB. You'll be looking at Standard Form DD 1707, which includes the "Information to offerors or quoters" and the cover sheet. On this sheet you'll find:

• The date and time by which you must submit the offer.
  
  
• Who the issuing office is. This might be someone far from where the product is going to be used.
  
  
• What the item to be purchased is. This is a brief description of the item.
  
  
• Procurement information: restrictions or set-asides that apply to the bid. Here you'll see if it's restricted to small, minority, veteran-owned, woman-owned, or HUBZone-certified companies.
  
  
• Additional information. This tells you where to send the bid and lists the buyer's e-mail addresses or phone numbers.
  
  
• The Point of Contact (POC), which includes the buyer's name, address, and phone number. Most of the time you'll get only the buyer's e-mail. E-mail is the normal mode of communication for them.
  
  
• Reason for no responses. If you see a block for this, use it as a marketing tool. Let the buyer know why you're not going to bid. It's your chance to give your two cents and keep your name in front of the buyer.
  
  
• Mailing list information. This is where you say if you want to be on their mailing list.
  
  
• Responding firm: that's you.
  

Standard Form 33 (SF 33) is the form used for offers and award contracts. It's a bilateral, joint, or two-signature document. It's broken down into thirds.

The top third is the solicitation area, which has the government information on the bid, opening dates, solicitation number, bid opening date, contact information, and solicitation number.

The second part is your information. This is where you provide information on your company and list your contact person, address, terms and conditions, and signature.

The most important part is the bottom third. If you win, the form will be sent back to you and the bottom third will be filled out—that means you won the contract!

Now it's time to address the Amendments section. The government will send out an amendment if any change to the contract, its term, quantity, specifications, or bid opening date must be made or if any errors or omissions need to be corrected. This is the government's formal way of telling you there is a change. A word of caution: If you get one and you don't acknowledge it on your bid, the government, by law, no matter what, must throw out your bid, even if yours is the best company for the job. If you get Amendment 0002 and you haven't seen Amendment 0001, call your contacting officer or buyer and find out where it is.

A bid has many pages. Most of them are boiler plate, meaning that once you read a couple of them, you'll see that they're mostly the same, which is how some people get into trouble: They don't read the entire bid. Make sure you read the entire bid, and again, read the evaluation or SOW factors.

Writing the Proposal for an RFP or RFQ

If you don't ever want to write a proposal, you can stop reading now.

Before you write your proposal, you first must know a little about RFPs and RFQs.

RFP. An RFP is a solicitation that describes a problem or requirement and asks qualified companies to describe how they will solve the problem and what the potential cost will be. It also can be used when the government has a product being made and wants another source for it. As a potentially qualified source, you'll describe how you plan to fulfill the government's requirements. This description is a business plan of sorts that shows your skill and knowledge of how you'll do things. It can take a great deal of time and effort to put together an RFP. It will take time from technical sources, financial sources, and others that the government feels is necessary to get the job done.

This is not an easy project. An RFP can be for millions of dollars and can take you to a new level in fabrication or manufacturing. Make sure this is not a Request for Information (RFI), in which the government is looking around for how you might do the job. Also ask if this is a funded project, because sometimes the government will release an RFP that hasn't been funded yet. Putting a lot of work into a project that hasn't been funded can waste a lot of your time.

First, make sure the RFP is fit for you—that you can do the work. Some companies think the government is one big lottery and all they have to do is bid on anything and everything that comes out. It's best to find what your core competencies are and try to stick with them.

Once you've found the bid, read the evaluation or SOW factors. Make an outline and decide who's going to be responsible for writing each factor. If only one person will be writing the entire bid, make sure that everyone else knows that that person will need data from different sources in your company in a timely fashion. If you're really serious, create a team that knows what it takes and can get the job done in a timely manner. When evaluating a proposal, consider the following:

1. Is the proposal organized and responsive to the basic requirements?
   
   
2. Is your delivery schedule acceptable?
   
   
3. Does your company demonstrate the capability to perform?
   
   
4. Does your company have related experience?
   
   
5. What is your company's past performance history?
   
   
6. Is your company financially capable?
   
   
7. Are the costs and profits reasonable?

You should consider other factors as well, but you'll have to look at each RFP and decide if there is a match between you and the requirement. Get as much information as you can, and see what was done before if this isn't a new buy. Get your subcontractors together and make sure they know what's involved.

Next, create an outline that defines all topics and areas to be addressed. Go through the SOW and list all of the factors; don't leave any out. If some of the factors don't apply to you, don't ignore them, and don't assume that the government will know what you're talking about; provide explanations in a paragraph or statement form. If you have proprietary technical information, make sure you label every page you don't want released. If you don't, you may be giving your competition your plan for getting the job done.

The following is a general list of what you should look for and do:

1. Write your proposal like a sales document, but don't get carried away.
   
   
2. Show that you understand what the stated work requirements are.
   
   
3. Show that you are qualified.
   
   
4. Show that you understand the evaluation criteria (read the evaluation or SOW factors): price is not everything.
   
   
5. Use the government proposal format. Don't use your own format or make something up; do what it wants. No more, no less.
   
   
6. Demonstrate your management ability to provide cost and pricing data if needed.
   
   
7. Proofread your proposal or have someone else do it. Don't have someone reading over your shoulder while you're writing it; put the words on paper and then go over them.
   
   
8. Write clearly. If you use abbreviations, acronyms, or trade terms, make sure to explain them.
   
   
9. Keep a file of all your proposals and refer to them—especially the ones you lost.
   
   
10. Most important: If you lose, ask why. Don't assume that it's over; part of this process is learning. Don't bid just once and then give up if you lose. Learn from what you did and didn't do correctly.

If you've never bid on an RFP, you can attend a workshop offered by the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs). If you're bidding, you might have to do a video presentation; if you need advice, get your PTAC involved. A PTAC won't write a proposal for you, but it will help you through it.

John DiGiacomo is the director of the Rock Valley College Procurement Technical Assistance Center, 605 Fulton, Rockford, IL 61103, 815-921-2091, jdigiacomo@aol.com, www.wingov.com. Jim Kleckner is a retired acquisition specialist from the Department of Defense and owner of Government Contracting Assistance, 2168 Spaulding Ave., West Dundee, IL 60118-3521, 847-426-7003, klecknerj@yahoo.com.