A proposal project involves bidding for work to be done for a business. This work can be anything from printing services to construction. Companies often issue a request for proposal (RFP) by sending their bid template to several business that they're interested in having complete the project. The companies invited to bid choose whether to become involved in the bidding competition for the proposal project.
A company considering placing a bid has to consider many things as it completes the bidding process. It will have to analyze the project details in order to estimate how much it will cost the company to complete the project. That amount plus an estimation of the desired profit will result in the proposal project bid. The company may lose the project with a bid price that is too high, unless the overall value is good. Cost estimates must be accurate, as the bid amount will have to be honored if the company wins the proposal project bid.
There are proposal writing workshops and courses available in business schools and online. Many proposal writing experts recommend using plain language and not making the bid document longer than it has to be. It's also considered beneficial to treat the project quote, or bid, not as a cost, but as an investment in a project. For example, when responding to a RFP for a machine installation, the bidding respondent to the bid proposal could mention something like “your company's investment in the XYZ machine is only $2,150, which includes regular maintenance, refills and warranty.”
The organization that invited the bidding reviews all of the bids for its proposal project. The value, or what the bid price includes, should be looked at closely. After a decision is made on which service or product provider won the bidding, the company informs this organization. A polite note may be sent to the other bidders thanking them for their proposals.
If a company is invited to submit bid proposals on a regular basis, it may have its own template on which to respond. Some firms have a professional proposal writer on staff who responds to requests for proposals as his or her main job duty. Proposal writers are a type of copywriter. Copywriters use compelling written communication to persuade others to take a certain action. In the case of a proposal project, the desired action is to be chosen as the winning bid.