2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU1 Proposals and Progress Reports

2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU2 Class 13 outline  Proposals What is it???? Formal vs Informal Layout and format  Progress Reports What is it??? Format and content Progress Report Checklist

Proposals  “Proposals are among the most important documents one can write.” Good proposals win and are awarded contracts. Proposals are used everywhere  Building buildings, building bridges  Constructing a home  Remodeling in a home  * * *  Doing basic research in a given field such as ECE 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU3

What does a proposal do?  Offer a persuasive solution to a problem.  Idea must be communicated effectively  Reader needs to be sold that “you” can solve his problem.  What you need to do. 1) Describe the problem in detail such that the reader knows you understand it. 2) Show you have a solution. 3) Show you can effect your solution. 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU4

Proposal writing  Usually the person/agency that has issued the Request For Proposals (RFP) also has a specific format for the proposal. May be limited to just margins, font, spacing, etc. May also specify sections to be included  NSF – have points that need to be covered  -- Broader impact  -- Intellectual Merit  Will also specify if a cover letter is needed 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU5

Also note the examples  Student proposal for a class project – pg.101  Note structure presented 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU6

Progress Reports  Proposal written and won contract  Contract awarded  Work begun and now ongoing  BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING  INQUIRING SPONSOR MINDS WANT TO KNOW!!! 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU7

Or in this class  Have picked problem  Have done a little initial work on the problem  But where are you at on creating the proposal??? What is the current status  Company may not call it a progress report. Likely will have meetings where you have to orally report on the current status of the project. 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU8

Progress Report (2)  Also called a status report  Tells the sponsor (or supervisor/boss) THE CURRENT STATUS What has been accomplished Problems encountered – A MUST On schedule Within Budget 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU9

Progress Reports (3)  Always inform your sponsor of problems!!!!  Never risk them hearing of problems through other channels!!!!!!!!!!!! 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU10

3 points to cover  Review Briefly - the original problem and scope down to what this progress report covers. Set Context  Describe What you have been doing during the period/to solve the sub-problem covered by the report  Evaluate The performance on each task and the overall project Are you on schedule? 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU11

Progress Report Format  Could be specified by contract  Use a general format that covers required points Use examples in text Use an existing progress report that was previously written for sponsor  If you are using the progress report effectively, writing the final report may/should simply be seaming the progress reports together. 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU12

Problem Statement Assignment  Development of the start of the proposal  Background  Statement of the problem to be solved The RFP give a statement of the problem and maybe a little background This is restatement in your own words. Possibly a refinement from the RFP or in the case where the RFP is vague is very specific as to the problem being addressed. 2/2/09 - L14 PatentsCopyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU13

Two upcoming assignments  The progress report – where are you at on the work on the proposal –  Will be both oral and written. Submit written report and slides to dropbox. Oral report in class next Monday and Wednesday.  Time – will have 6 minutes. When timer goes off you are done!  Talk points – problem statement summary, proposed solutions and which is most promising, proposal preparation status, proposed task schedule, proposed budget 2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU14