PROPOSALS

PROPOSALS Persuasion lies at the heart of proposal writing. You seek to get your reader to do something, to accept your written plan for completing a task. What matters is the structure you apply to writing good proposals.

TYPES INTERNAL PROPOSALS EXTERNAL PROPOSALS SOLICITED PROPOSALS UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS

INTERNAL PROPOSALS Are submitted to decision makers in one’s own organization. Purposes are either to seek approval for a project or course of action, or request additional resources.

EXTERNAL PROPOSALS Are submitted to decision makers outside of an organization, such as current or potential clients and government agencies. They are legally binding. The audience for your external proposal may not your company, so your proposal must convince readers.

SOLICITED PROPOSALS Are generally prepared at the request of external parties who need something done. Some external parties prepare an invitation to bid on their contract, often called request for proposal (RFP).

UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS Are initiated by organizations attempting to obtain business or funding without a specific invitation from a potential client. In other words, the writer makes trhe first move.

PARTS OF PROPOSAL Title page Executive summary, synopsis Draft contract Table of contents Introduction: Purpose Problem Scope

Project team Procedures Equipment and facilities Personnel Budget Appendixes

Short proposals Letter of transmittal Executive summary Body of proposal with complete information.