Chapter 19 Proposals and Requests for Proposals

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Chapter 19Proposals and Requestsfor Proposals
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To propose is to put forward an offer, to make a
suggestion that is open for discussion and
consideration.
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Types of Proposals
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Internal External

• Are the two primary categories for proposals
• Are determined by the audience
• Will often require a variety of proposals on the
  same subject

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Internal Proposals

• Offer solutions to problems that the organization
  is aware of
• Offer solutions to problems that the organization
  did not initially recognize as problems
• Persuade an audience that a problem exists and
  requires attention
• Detail the extent of the problem

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Internal Proposals

• Persuade an audience where the problem is located
• Detail why the problem occurs
• Argue that the problem will escalate if not
  addressed
• May be subdivided into everyday proposals
  (sometimes called routine proposals) and formal
  proposals

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Everyday Proposals

• Are fairly informal
• Often take the form of memos or emails
• Offer solutions to routine problems
• Are written in response to problems that do not
  require great effort to define, identify, and
  solve

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Formal Proposals

• Usually contain more information and address more
  complex problems
• May propose solutions to multi-faceted or
  long-term problems
• May offer solutions that require greater monetary
  commitment
• May be addressed to multiple audiences

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External Proposals

• Work to persuade readers outside of ones
  organization to accept the solutions the proposal
  offers
• Are written to secure contracts that solve other
  organizations problems for a fee
• Can be solicited or unsolicited

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Sole-Source Contracts

• Are awarded to vendors who have a close
  relationship with a particular company
• Make it difficult for other companies to write
  proposals for solutions

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Requests for Proposals

• Are commonly known as RFPs
• Are formal appeals put out by organizations to
  request that interested vendors submit proposals
  in response to a set of needs
• Also look to solicit information before formal
  RFPs are issued
• Promote competitiveness to secure the lowest
  price for a service or product

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Considering RFPs

• Identify the problem
• Identify the audience
• Identify the purpose
• Identify the solutions that can be offered
• Identify the information you have and the
  information you will need

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Writing RFPs

• Is a common workplace practice
• Assists you as a proposal writer
• Helps you better interpret RFPs and, in turn,
  better write proposals that respond to them
• Are composed of standard items

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Information RFPs

• Title and/or brief description of the RFP
• Contact information
• Background information
• Proposal selection process
• Project summary and details
• Stake holders

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Information Requested

• Company/organization information
• Proposes solution
• Details the solution
• Provides all necessary information, including
  budget, references, and certifications

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RFP Ethics Professionalism

• Are integral for a relationship to succeed
• Makes it understood that someones proposal will
  be accepted
• Never ask for the impossible
• Should disclose as much about the problem as
  possible
• Should provide sufficient time for organizations
  to compose proposals
• Should not solicit proposals that will not
  legitimately be reviewed

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RFP Technology

• Should reach as broad an audience as possible
• Uses the World Wide Web
• Uses databases and lists
• Uses PDFs
• Uses forms

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Types of Proposals

• Sales proposals persuade organizations to
  purchase a product or service and sometimes
  persuade readers there is a need for additional
  products or services
• Research and grant proposals persuade a
  sponsoring organization to fund an individuals
  or groups research or projects

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Writing a Proposal

• Focuses on getting the proposal accepted
• Produces problem-solving documents
• Reaches the intended audience
• Must persuade the intended audience
• Displays the credentials that allow readers to
  take the proposal seriously

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Proposals

• Maintain an organizational strategy similar to
  reports and manuals they include front matter,
  body, and end matter
• Are driven by their contexts, purposes, and
  classifications
• Mostly contain similar parts and structures

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Front Matter

• Title page
• Cover letter
• Summary
• Table of contents
• Table of visuals

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Body Introduction

• Contains a statement of purpose
• Contains a description of the background and/or
  an explanation of the problem
• Contains an account of the scope of the proposal
• Contains an explanation about how the proposal is
  organized

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Body

• Contains a solution
• Contains the requirements
• Contains a plan of action, or method
• Contains qualifications
• Contains a budget
• Proposes a schedule
• Makes recommendations in the conclusion

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End Matter

• Are materials that arent necessarily crucial to
  the success of the proposal but do provide
  further information or clarify information in the
  proposal
• Might include a bibliography, glossary, or
  appendixes

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Technology

• Benefits proposal writing through the use of
  templates
• Brings templates and additional resources online
• Is less of a benefit that relying on good
  rhetorical choices