Proposals are how most contractors win government contracts.
Proposals typically do 3 things: outline how an offeror will meet the requirement (i.e. the technical approach); explain how well they did in the past (i.e. the past performance); and show how much the offer is willing to do it for now (i.e. the price). There are standard formats for proposals, but each one requires some level of customization. That customization is one of the elements that separates proposals from quotes.
Proposals come in many shapes and sizes…so the cost to submit them varies. Back in episode 025, we outlined what drives the cost in terms of money. In this episode, we dig into the other types of costs associated with proposals, including costs in time, opportunity, and emotion. We outline each area to help both government and contractors understand when, who and how each of these “costs” can impact a proposal.