Have you ever written a "wish-list" proposal? I’ll bet you have. You write a wish list proposal when you propose on a job you'd like to have, but you don’t know much about. You see an announcement in the CBD and say, "We can do that work!" But, you’ve had little or no contact with the client; you don’t know his/her "hot buttons." You have only a general sense of who your competition will be ("Acme always goes after these sorts of jobs."). Often, management's wish for this type of work is the only reason you propose on the job, regardless of whether or not you really have a chance of winning.
You write the proposal, and you lose. A sad tale, oft-repeated.
The way to make a truly informed Go/No-Go decision is to keep a complete file on all you learn about the potential project, from the earliest moment you hear of it. Keep notes using the following list of questions. This list isn’t necessarily complete; it covers the basics. Tailor it to suit your firm or the individual opportunity. But use it! It will make your final Go/No-Go decision a whole lot easier.
Who is the client?
What is their primary business/mission? If it’s a business, what are its services and its market segment? If an agency, what is its mission, as you understand it?
Who are the key client personnel involved in this project?
What do they hope to achieve in this project?
What are they afraid will happen that they want to make sure doesn’t?
What are they biased toward (a particular approach; a specific firm)?
What does the client want to buy?
What are the project objectives?
What is the scope of work, the tasks, the deliverables?
What unique features does the client want?
When will the opportunity occur?
What is the client's budget/funding profile?
What kind of solicitation will the client use?
When will it appear?
How firm is the opportunity?
Is the program mandated by law or agency regulation?
Is funding approved?
Does the client’s management support the project?
Does it have enemies within?
Is there any internal opposition to funding the program or purchase?
How long will it take to complete the job?
What is the client’s project schedule?
Is it realistic?
Can you meet it?
What are the schedule risks and uncertainties?
How does the client want to contract for the work?
What type of contract does the client want?
What are the terms and conditions?
What is the payment schedule?
Why do you want to go after the job?
What is the dollar amount?
Can you make a profit?
Is it applicable to your service line?
Is there potential for follow-on work?
Does it create new business?
Are there other factors?
How well prepared are you to do the job?
What kind of contact have you had with the client so far?
Have you had previous applicable contracts?
What’s your standing with the client?
Do you have the required personnel?
Do you have your team/sub-consultants lined up?
Do you have the necessary facilities and/or equipment?
Is there anything innovative about how you will approach the job?
Who are your competitors?
What are their approaches to doing this work?
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
How can you neutralize their strengths and capitalize on their weaknesses?
How do they stand with the client?
Can you afford a full proposal effort?
What technical effort is required?
Who needs to be involved?
Can you spare them for the proposal?
How much will it cost you to prepare the proposal?
