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Preparing Effective Proposals

2008 Dates and Locations:

September 23-24
Marvin Conference Center
Washington, DC
REGISTER ONLINE

October 29-30
Flamingo Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
REGISTER ONLINE

Daily Schedule
9:00a.m. - 4:00p.m.

Registration Fee
$995

CLE Hours
This Course is Eligible for
11.0(60 minute)
13.2(50 minute)
More CLE Info

CPE Hours
This Course is Eligible for
13.0(CPE)
hours of credit.
Program Level: Basic
Program Prerequisite: None
Advance Preparation: None
Method: Group-Live
More CPE Info

Two days of intense instruction on how to prepare and deliver proposals that work.

There is nothing more fundamental, more critically basic, to the success of a Government contractor than preparing proposals. One of the keys to preparing successful proposals is knowing how they are evaluated by the Government...how the source selection process works — especially in the new acquisition environment of performance-based contracting and oral presentations. As the detailed Course Curriculum printed in this brochure illustrates, this program is a step-by-step analysis of the proposal preparation and source selection processes — from both the contractor and Government perspectives — and is designed for executives, marketing personnel, proposal writers, program manager, attorneys, engineers, contract specialists, cost analysts, and all support personnel to a competitive proposal. The benefits attendees will receive include solid reviews of:

  • Understanding the customer's organization and regulations. What you must know and do before the RFP is released. How and when to gather information helpful to your proposal. How to start writing your proposal before the RFP is issued. The proposal: Maximizing your score...tips that really work. Source Selection Evaluation Boards — how they work, how ratings are assigned. The role of price in winning; what "best value" really means. How to turn a weak rating into a strong rating. Written and oral negotiation strategies.

  • How final decisions are made and documented.


Course Curriculum

  1. Preparing Effective Proposals
    Course Curriculum

    1. Preparing for the Request for Proposal

      1. The purpose of the RFP Initial review Tie into information gathered during the market assessment process

      2. Establish team

       

      Reviewing the Request for Proposal

      1. Review each section of the RFP for critical items

        1. Part I — The Schedule
          (a) Section A — Solicitation/contract form
          (b) Section B — Supplies or services and prices/costs
          (c) Section C — Description/specifications/statement of work
          (d) Section D — Packaging and marking
          (e) Section E — Inspection and acceptance
          (f) Section F — Deliveries or performance
          (g) Section G — Contract administration data
          (h) Section H — Special contract requirements
           Part II — Contract Clauses
          (a) Section I — Contract Clauses Part III — List of Documents, Exhibits, and Other Attachments
          (a) Section J — List of attachments

        2. Part IV — Representation, and Instructions
          (a) Section K — Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors or respondents
          (b) Section L — Instructions, conditions, and notices of offerors or respondents
          (c) Section M — Evaluation factors for award

      2. Identify critical requirements

        1. Compliance matrix Review of evaluation criteria

        2. Deploy resources to focus on those areas the RFP identifies as critical to the customer

      Organizing to Prepare the Proposal

      1. Establish budget for preparing the proposal

        1. Dollar amount

        2. Time line

      2. Identify proposal manager

        1. Assign a team
          (a) Identify skills consistent with the importance of the proposal
          (b) Identify the people with the skills and assign them to the proposal           Identify volume managers
          (a) Management
          (b) Technical
          (c) Cost

        2. Establish control points

      The Technical Approach

      1. Dissect the statement of work or statement of objectives

        1. Identify main requirements Evaluate technical trade-offs

        2. Ensure ambiguous requirements are thoroughly assessed

        Prepare Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

        1. Use the customers first two levels if provided Complete the WBS to appropriate level Establish appropriate work packages Prepare WBS dictionary

        2. Consider the establishment of an Organization Breakdown Structure

        Storyboard the technical volume

        1. Document assumptions Establish ground rules Establish discrete section where appropriate Create themes Identify artwork and graphics Identify strengths and develop a strategy to capitalize on them

        2. Begin writing

      2. Technical risk management

        1. Identify technical issues that present cost, schedule or performance risks Develop preliminary strategies for dealing with identified risks

        2. Begin developing risk management plan

      The Cost Volume

      1. Estimating resource requirements

        1. Document assumptions Use the WBS structure Direct labor Direct material
          (a) Interdivisional transfers
          (b) Raw material
          (c) Subcontracts

        2. Other direct costs

        Costing estimated resources

        1. Application of rates and factors Cost Accounting Standards Truth in Negotiations Act Source of rates and factors Dangers in deviating from established practices

        2. Cost realism analysis

      2. Consistency between the technical proposal and the cost proposal

        1. Ensure the technical approach described in the technical proposal is consistent with the resources estimated in the cost volume Ensure the skill sets are consistent

        2. Ensure subcontractor estimates are consistent with the technical approach

      The Management Volume

      1. Past Performance Earned value management systems The importance of a sound project management system Describing the management approach Integration of subcontractors into the project

      2. Special requirements

        1. Integrated project teams, and other special control teams Small business subcontracting plans

        2. Risk management plans

      Reviews

      1. Technical reviews

        1. Review assumptions Rigorous questioning on the technical approach Look for weaknesses

        2. Importance of the right team

        Cost reviews

        1. Review assumptions Validate rates and factors

        2. Reasonableness assessment

      2. Final approvals

        1. Provide time for final reviews

        2. Ensure the proposal gets there on time

      Role of Policies and Procedures

      1. Importance of estimating policies and procedures

      2. Importance of following policies and procedures

    2. Characteristics of an Effective Proposal

      1. Clarity Offers what the customer ask for Responsive to the terms and conditions

      2. Properly supported with logic, rationale, and explanations

Course Faculty

Terry A. Carlson
Terry Carlson is a Principal in the Consulting Practice of KTE Consulting, a Washington, DC area firm. His practice entails advising clients on the application and interpretation of rules, regulations, guidelines, and cost accounting standards applicable to government contractors. Mr. Carlson also provides advice on the development and deployment of strategic and tactical systems to assist contractors to successfully perform the functions of program management, risk management, and contract administration at program and corporate levels.

For 20 years, Terry was President of his own firm, T.A. Carlson & Company, providing consulting services to the contracting community. Prior to establishing his own firm, he was a Professor of Financial Management at the Defense Systems Management College. He also served as a manager in the Government Contractor Advisory Services department of a major international accounting firm. Mr. Carlson served as an assistant professor of accounting at Villanova University, where he taught courses in accounting and management information systems.

Terry has also served as a Staff Finance Consultant for a major defense contractor, where he assisted in proposal preparation, developing divisional budgets, and responding to Defense Contract Audit Agency queries. He also served as an auditor with the Defense Contract Audit Agency where he was responsible for evaluating contractor submissions to ensure that they were prepared in accordance with applicable regulations and standards.