1. Essentials of Technical Communication Chapter 9: Proposals and Progress Reports

2. Proposals

3. A Proposal Describes Proposed work or research, Reasons for the work, Methods proposed to accomplish the work, Estimated time required, and Expected cost. “Keep in mind that proposals and progress reports are persuasive documents.”

4. Proposals for external funds are often written in response to RFP (Request for Proposal) SOW (Statement of Work) RFQ (Request for Qualifications)

5. Typical Government CFP Sponsor Program Number Title Sponsor: Office of Innovation and Improvement/Department of Education Program Number: 24512 Title: Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program E-mail Web Site Program URL SYNOPSIS E-mail: soumya.sathya@ed.gov. Web Site: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-08/pdf/2011- 23011.pdf Program URL: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=12 1173 SYNOPSIS: The sponsor announces the availability of approximately $24,680,000 in funds for the Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program. This grant is designed to support projects that are supported by at least moderate evidence, as defined in this notice, to recruit, select, and prepare or provide professional enhancement activities for teachers or for teachers and principals.http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-08/pdf/2011- 23011.pdf http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=12 1173 Deadline(s) DEADLINE NOTE* Deadline(s): 10/11/2011 11/07/2011 *DEADLINE NOTE* Deadline for optional notice of intent to apply is October 11, 2011. Deadline for transmittal of applications is November 7, 2011.

6. In Response to an RFP, Ask: What does the soliciting organization really want? What is the problem that needs to be solved? What approaches to the solution will be viewed most favorably? What approaches will be viewed unfavorably? What objections will our plan elicit? Can we accomplish the goals we propose? (Additional questions in textbook)

7. Standard Sections of Proposals Project summary Project description (technical proposal) Introduction Rationale and significance Plan of the work Scope Methods Task Breakdown Problem Analysis Facilities and equipment Personnel (management proposal) Budget (cost proposal) Conclusion Appendixes

8. Progress Reports

9. Progress Reports Include the Following Information: goal of the project, work accomplished (for a given period), work remaining/planned (for the next period), problems encountered, and financial expenditures

10. A Progress Report May Be Structured by Task: Introduction Project description Summary of work to date Summary of work in this period Work accomplished by tasks this period Work remaining on specific tasks Work planned for the next reporting period Work planned for periods thereafter Cost to date Cost in this period Overall appraisal of work to date Conclusions and recommendations concerning problems

11. A Progress Report May Be Structured by Time: Introduction/project description Summary of work completed Work completed Period 1 (beginning and ending dates) Description Cost Period 2 (beginning and ending dates) Description Cost Work remaining Period 3 (or remaining periods) Description of work to be done Expected cost Evaluation of work in this period Conclusions and recommendations

12. A Progress Report May Be Structured by Goal: Introduction/project description Summary of progress to date Work completed Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3, etc. Work remaining Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3, etc. Evaluation of work to date Conclusions and recommendations

13. The following is a sample oral progress report with slides

14. Learning Processes Task Group Chicago Meeting Progress Report April 20, 2007

15. Learning Processes Task Group Contributing Members Dave Geary Dan Berch Wade Boykin Susan Embretson Valerie Reyna Bob Siegler Jennifer Graban, staff

16. Learning Processes Task Group Completed to Date  Principles of learning and cognition  Mathematical knowledge children bring to school  Math learning in whole number arithmetic

17. Learning Processes Task Group Goals for the June Meeting in Miami, FL  Take comments and suggestions into consideration from other task groups and revise three existing sections accordingly  Begin to make policy recommendations more explicit  New section on Social, Motivational, and Affective Processes

18. Learning Processes Task Group Goals for the September Meeting in St. Louis, MO  Math learning in the key content areas: Fractions Estimation Geometry Algebra  Review of differences and similarities across race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and gender for key areas  Brain science and math learning

19. Elizabeth Tebeaux and Sam Dragga Essentials of Technical Communication Oxford University Press