The Benefits of a Successfully Executed Third-Party Assessment for Government Contractors

By Thomas Abraham on Feb 28, 2024

In our industry, gaining as much insight as possible about contractor performance is always crucial, and who better to know about the positives and negatives of a program than your own Government customers?

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Master the Art of Writing an Executive Summary [Tips + Checklist]

By Melissa Serna on Feb 14, 2024

The Executive Summary holds a unique and pivotal role in setting the stage for a winning proposal.

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How to Create a Proposal Writing Template That Wows!

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Dec 6, 2023

Writing templates are one of the first steps to complete once the draft and final solicitation are released. A writing template serves as the base of a successful proposal.

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Five Proposal Writing Tasks to Do Before the RFP Drops

By Harry Pritchett, CF APMP on Nov 8, 2023

In the deadline-driven and highly competitive world of proposal development, effective time management is critical.

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How to Create an Effective Proposal Schedule [Examples + Templates]

By Melissa Serna on Oct 25, 2023

For businesses seeking to secure Government contracts, a clearly defined and comprehensive proposal schedule is essential for a smooth and successful proposal submission.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Self-Scoring Bids

By Emilie Waickwicz Slager, CF APMP on Jul 13, 2023

The number of self-scoring solicitations is increasing each fiscal year. Are you planning to pursue these opportunities but not quite sure where to start?

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An Introductory Guide to Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs)

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Jun 21, 2023

Within the world of US Federal Government Contracting, it is easy to become overwhelmed with all the acronyms that get thrown around. One acronym you might have come across is GWAC.

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Incumbentitis – What is it and How to Prevent it in Your Proposal

By Sunny Singh on Jun 7, 2023

Many of you may have heard of the common proposal affliction, incumbentitis.

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How to Write a Staffing Plan for a Proposal

By Melissa Serna on Apr 6, 2023

Proposals oftentimes require a Staffing Plan that shows who, how many, what skillsets, and the Level of Effort (LOE) required to execute the actual work of the contract.

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What is a Management Approach and How to Write One

By Melissa Serna on Feb 15, 2023

The Management Approach within a federal government proposal is required by most RFPs and other types of solicitations.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 7]: Compete to Win

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Jan 25, 2023

Like an Olympic athlete who must train, practice, and then qualify to compete, succeeding in the federal market also requires long-term preparation and planning.

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How to Develop a Capture Plan [Guide + Template]

By Emilie Waickwicz Slager, CF APMP on Dec 22, 2022

We’ve all experienced a proposal that lacked the appropriate capture before the final RFP release.

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How the U.S. Government Had Sophisticated Design but Seemingly Lost it (And How to Get it Back!)

By Keven Ramirez on Dec 15, 2022

Although often overlooked, Graphic Design is incredibly integral to government work. Federal government design specifically relies on past and modern-day successes of good design practices in America.

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Decorate the Tree: The Art of the Proposal Outline

By Harry Pritchett, CF APMP on Dec 8, 2022

Developing a compliant, reader-friendly proposal outline is a critical first step toward creating a winning proposal.

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How to Hold a Successful Proposal Kickoff Meeting

By Michael Carter, CF APMP on Dec 1, 2022


 

Many of the most successful experiences in life have great beginnings:

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A Deep Dive into Past Performance – How to Maximize Your Scoring Potential

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Nov 17, 2022

As part of the federal contracting process, procuring agencies are interested in an offeror’s quality of product/service, cost control, timeliness of performance, business relations, and customer satisfaction, as evidenced by its past performance.

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Developing Your Proposal Career: Roles and Certifications

By Melissa Serna on Nov 10, 2022

Professional certifications can help increase salary and expand professional possibilities. Certifications are an excellent avenue for a proposal professional’s career development.

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How to Survive High Turnover Among Your Proposal Team

By Jack Mathes, CF APMP on Nov 3, 2022

The Great Resignation. The Big Quit. The Great Reshuffle.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 6]: Capture Opportunities

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Oct 26, 2022

You don’t wake up the morning of the IronMan Triathlon and decide to enter the race on a whim.

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5 Layout Tips for Proposal Graphics

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Oct 19, 2022

It is generally accepted that people remember more of what they see than what they read or hear.

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How To Break Into Government Contracting [Part 5]: Conquering Roadblocks

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Sep 7, 2022

Government agencies want to work with companies they know and trust. Building that trust is largely contingent on your ability to prove you can do the work.

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How Proposal Training Can Improve Your Win Rate [Examples + Email Template]

By Jack Mathes, CF APMP on Aug 25, 2022

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a competitive bid must be in want of a great proposal team." - Jane Austen.

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Unboxing Our Toolkit: How to Create a Common Language from Proposal Writer to Designer

By Keven Ramirez on Aug 17, 2022

Have you ever asked yourself if an evaluator gets bored reading your proposal? To break up the sea of text, you use proposal graphics. But are your graphics also boring?

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Here, There, and Everywhere: An Introduction to SLED (State, Local, and Education) Proposals

By Michael Carter, CF APMP on Aug 11, 2022

If you’ll indulge in a music analogy, Federal Government Contracting in the United States is a long and winding road, while State, Local, and Education (SLED) contracting is a smaller ticket to ride. But hey, you still might want to drive that car!

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Don’t Make Me Think: 5 Ways to Improve Proposal Readability

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Aug 4, 2022

In proposals, clear writing is critical to ensuring the evaluators understand your message.

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A Guide to Writing a Technical Approach

By Melissa Serna on Jul 28, 2022

Let's set the scene. You’ve just come on to a new proposal effort and are anxiously awaiting your writing assignment.

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Beyond Compliance: How to Craft Compelling, Easy-to-Evaluate Resumes

By Anna Paola DaSilva on Jul 21, 2022

Federal proposals often require contractors to include resumes of their proposed team.

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The Power of Great Design: How to Stand Out from Your GovCon Competition

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Jul 14, 2022

 

While it may not be immediately obvious, there is no doubt that the design of your government proposal can significantly impact how your response is received and has the potential to help you stand out from the competition.

 

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How to Manage Document Recovery for a Stronger Proposal

By Kelsie Ware on Jul 7, 2022

Everyone knows that color team review phases are essential to the development of winning proposals.

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How to Use Basic Desktop Publishing (DTP) Skills to Make a Proposal Template

By Cosette Puckett, CF APMP on Jun 30, 2022

Desktop Publishing (DTP) is required before every proposal is submitted to ensure the proposal is presented in a visually pleasing manner, the information is presented in an easy-to-understand format, and the proposal complies with the solicitation requirements.

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Five Things That Will Lead to a Higher Scoring Proposal

By Sunny Singh on Jun 23, 2022

In this article, we will cover five things that instantly lead to a higher-scoring proposal during the evaluation process.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 4]: Connect with Your Customers

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Jun 9, 2022

Contracting Officers (CO) are authorized agents empowered to bind the federal government to a contract for procuring goods or services.

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Four Formative Experiences for New Proposal Managers (and What to Learn)

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Jun 2, 2022

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Beyond the Basics: 5 Ways to Take Your Proposal Writing to the Next Level

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Apr 20, 2022

If you have participated in a proposal effort or two, odds are you know the basics of proposal writing.

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How to Successfully Interview a SME as a Proposal Writer

By Cosette Puckett, CF APMP on Apr 6, 2022

To write a winning proposal, a proposal development team must present a solution that addresses the customer’s technical needs in a compelling, easy-to-understand narrative.

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How to Write a Compliant and Responsive Proposal [Tips and Tools]

By Terri Cooper, CF APMP on Mar 23, 2022

In the competitive world of bids and proposals, it is critical for proposals to not only be compliant but also responsive. 

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How to Select Key Personnel for Your Proposal [Guide + Resume Template]

By Thomas Abraham on Mar 10, 2022

Individual accomplishments and experience have a chance to shine in today's competitive bid environment.

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A Beginner's Guide to Post-Award Debriefs

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Mar 2, 2022

Post Award Debriefs: What are they and what is their purpose?

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From Capture to Proposals: How to Handoff for Success

By Emilie Waickwicz Slager, CF APMP on Feb 24, 2022

As an opportunity moves through the phasesof the opportunity lifecycle, it is supported by different roles or individuals.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 3]: Confirming Your Prospects

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Feb 16, 2022

Targeting and building your business development pipeline can feel daunting because of the endless pool of prospects.

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How to Conduct a Red Team Review: Three Things You Need to Know

By Sunny Singh on Feb 10, 2022

A Red Team Review is part of a series of color reviews that occur during the proposal development process. 

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A Guide to Agile Proposal Development and Management

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Feb 3, 2022

Agile software development is a set of approaches to software development where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

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How to Make the Most of the Proposal Off Season

By Melissa Serna on Jan 27, 2022

Congratulations! You survived the proposal busy season and you finally have some downtime. So, now what?

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How to Create a Proposal Management Plan Using the KSI Advantage™ Approach

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Jan 5, 2022

The Proposal Management Plan is the operations plan for the Proposal Manager and the proposal team to answer the RFP.

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Three Ways to Finish the Proposal Year Right!

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Dec 15, 2021

As we approach the end of the year, the government proposal season tends to slow down here in the U.S.

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Need a High-Scoring Past Performance Section? Use the KSI Advantage™ Approach!

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Dec 1, 2021

The Past Performance section in a proposal provides evidence of your previous success to your customer by exhibiting your proven ability to deliver a quality product or service in a timely and cost-controlled manner.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 2]: Clarifying Your Brand

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Nov 4, 2021

According to Bloomberg Government, Federal contract spending in fiscal year 2020 hit the highest amount on record—$681 billion.

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How to Develop an Effective Win Strategy [Guide + Template]

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Oct 28, 2021

In the world of bids and proposals, we have a unique lexicon that we apply so that we are all speaking the same language.

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A Complete Guide to Developing a Powerful Proposal Plan

By Emilie Waickwicz Slager, CF APMP on Oct 21, 2021

When it comes to developing a successful proposal response, having a Proposal Plan in place is essential.

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Developing a Proposal with Limited Resources? Here's What Works!

By Melissa Serna on Oct 14, 2021

If I were to give advice to a writer working on a proposal, I would say: plan before you write, write to your plan, and think big picture from the start.

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Ace Your Proposal Evaluation by Thinking Like an Evaluator

By Thomas Abraham on Oct 7, 2021

Think of the last time you saw something and immediately realized you were going to enjoy it.

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How to Prepare for the APMP Foundation Test

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Sep 30, 2021

In the proposal world, we are all continuously working to improve and hone our skillsets.

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How to be an Effective Color Reviewer

By Kelsie Ware on Sep 23, 2021

If you work for any company that writes proposals, there is a chance that you already have or will be asked to participate in a color team review.

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Using Layers of Proof  to Strengthen Proposal Claims

By Harry Pritchett, CF APMP on Sep 16, 2021

In July 2018, we published an article on how to turn unsubstantiated proposal claims into credible proofs. In this article, I take a deeper dive into developing compelling proofs, with examples and techniques to build solid proofs for a higher win rate.

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5 Critical Skills and Resources for Quick-Turn Proposals

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Aug 25, 2021

I recently came out of a project where we supported the client in submitting 25 task order proposal responses between two months.

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How to Get the Most Value From SMEs to Write a Winning Proposal

By Carol Turpin on Aug 2, 2021

Subject matter experts (SMEs) are necessary to almost every proposal. They are the ones who design and build the product (or provide the service).

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A Step-by-Step Guide to the Proposal Production Process

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Jul 8, 2021

In the proposal industry, we strive to set up an infrastructure that will improve our chances of winning. Production is an important part of developing a winning proposal.

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How to Break into Government Contracting [Part 1]

By Lauren Mowbray, CF APMP, CPC on Jun 24, 2021

The U.S. federal government is the world’s largest buyer. Every year, it spends billions of dollars on products and services covering thousands of categories ranging from fighter jets and garden supplies to IT services and logistics support.

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How to Maximize the Benefits of Collaborative Editing and Proposal Reviews

By Doug Brisson on Jun 17, 2021

Collaborative software tools represent a major improvement in developing compliant, compelling, and complete proposals. However, these tools are not without their drawbacks.

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An Introductory Guide to Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOCs)

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Jun 10, 2021

Within the world of U.S. Federal Government Contracting, it is easy to become overwhelmed with all the acronyms. One acronym you might have been wondering about lately is MATOC.

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The Content Repository: An Essential Tool to Develop Winning Proposals

By Emilie Waickwicz Slager, CF APMP on Jun 3, 2021

Creating and maintaining a content repository or library of reuse material is a proposal industry best practice, but why is it important? Why should your company or team invest in the development and maintenance of a content repository?

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3 Free Project Management Tools for Your Next Proposal (and How to Use Them)

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on May 20, 2021

As I discovered after graduating college and having to pay for my own Microsoft Office (MSO) subscription, software can be expensive! This is especially true for commonly used project management and office programs.

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An Introduction to Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Proposals

By Sunny Singh on May 13, 2021

Being on the winning side of an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract opens up the opportunity to earn millions and even billions of dollars through the work generated by subsequent task orders.

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How to Establish a Successful Task Order Machine

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Mar 31, 2021

According to a 2017 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, spending by federal agencies on indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts accounts for about a third of total government contract obligations.

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How to Create an Organized Proposal Process From Start to Finish

By Thomas Abraham on Mar 11, 2021

An effective proposal team knows that the art of developing a winning bid can be exhausting due to the unpredictable nature of each procurement.

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Three Major Fallacies To Avoid When Participating In Gate Reviews

By Jack Mathes, CF APMP on Mar 4, 2021

When it comes to decision gate reviews, many organizations conduct them differently.

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The Fundamentals of Proposal Training: A Guide for Junior Writers

By Caroline Shawver, CF APMP on Feb 25, 2021

Starting a new job is an exciting endeavor, and like many recent college grads, I felt privileged to land a job—as a junior proposal writer at a great organization.

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An Introduction to Task Order Contracts

By Sunny Singh on Feb 18, 2021

If you’re new to Federal Government contracting, you may be overwhelmed with all the new terminology and the many different procurement and contract types you hear about.

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Using Graphics to Stand out from the Competition on a GWAC

By Jeannette Calderon, CF APMP on Feb 4, 2021

If you're exploring contract vehicle options in the federal market, chances are you're eyeing up a number of Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs).

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The Ultimate Guide to Oral Proposal Presentations

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Jan 28, 2021

An oral presentation with the government is like a job interview. Your goal is to present well and ultimately win the contract.

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Ensuring a Technical Solution Early in the Proposal Process: The Proposal Professional’s Role

By Doug Brisson on Jan 21, 2021

“What do you mean they haven’t developed a solution?!”

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A Comprehensive Guide to High-Quality Proposal Writing

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Jan 14, 2021

Writing is such a critical component of the proposal process.

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No Time for a Pink Team? How to Execute Short Turnaround Proposal Reviews

By Doug Brisson on Dec 10, 2020

As proposal professionals, we are very process and procedure-oriented. 

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How to Apply a Solid Bid Pursuit Strategy to Improve Your Win Rate

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Nov 19, 2020

If you want to improve your overall win rates, there are several tactics that can help you succeed.

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25 Questions You Should Ask at a Post-Award Debrief

By Jim McCarthy on Oct 6, 2020

Imagine you are at the post-award debrief. Win or lose, you must search for the good, the bad, and the ugly about your proposal. 

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How to Set Up Graphics and Production for Proposals

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Oct 1, 2020

Graphics are what distinguish an effective proposal. Research shows that readers recall seven times more information when presented with a graphic than through text alone.

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How Starting Earlier Will Improve Your Win Rate

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Sep 3, 2020

In this world of bids and proposals, we all certainly want to win more. However, there are so many factors that impact a company’s probability of win.

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How To Hire a Great Proposal Consultant

By Raymond Thibodeaux on Aug 11, 2020

Have you ever hired a proposal development consultant only to feel deceived or disappointed with the result? 

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3 Proposal Mistakes to Avoid When Bidding as a Small Business Prime

By Ellen Perrine on Jul 14, 2020

Over the years our proposal team has helped many small businesses significantly increase their revenue through sound Proposal Management.

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A Complete Guide to Making Smart Bid/No-Bid Decisions

By Emily Arnold, CF APMP, ITIL 4 on Jun 15, 2020

Learning how to make smart bid/no-bid decisions is one of the most crucial skills individuals and government contractors can develop to improve their overall success. 

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How to Shape an Opportunity Pre-RFP by Targeting the Right People

By Jack Mathes, CF APMP on Apr 29, 2020

Too often, businesses jump into pursuing contract opportunities without doing the necessary work on the front end.

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Just the Facts: A Guide to Crafting a Great Data Call

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Mar 25, 2020

Data calls typically occur early in the proposal effort, but can ostensibly happen at any point during the proposal planning or writing processes.

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Six Proposal Management Tools You Can’t Live Without

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Mar 18, 2020

As proposal professionals, we continually look to find ways to lead our teams and ensure we are getting the best results possible.

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Capture Manager: The Sales Role Every Federal Contractor Needs

By John Crowley on Mar 11, 2020

One of the most crucial phases in the federal business development lifecycle is Capture.

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Three Reasons You Should Be Holding Formal Author Cross-Reading Sessions

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Mar 5, 2020

A common problem with proposal teams is that it is so easy for authors to avoid communicating—particularly when one or more author is working virtually.

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Money Talks: How to Develop Winning Cost Proposals

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Feb 19, 2020

The Cost or Price Proposal is exactly what it sounds like: a detailed account of the costs of your Technical and Management Approaches for a potential government contract.

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Incumbent Contractors: Here's How You Can Win Your Recompete

By Carol Turpin on Jan 13, 2020

Your government contract ends soon, and your customer will issue a new RFP. Who's worried? 

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How to Achieve RFP Compliance Using the KSI Advantage Approach

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Dec 12, 2019

Successful proposals must be two things: compliant and responsive.

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The Story Behind Storyboarding And Why It's Critical To Your Proposal Process

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Oct 1, 2019

Storyboards have long been a part of our standard proposal best practices.

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Follow The Yellow Brick Road: 7 Tips to Keep Your Proposal Compliant

By Ellen Perrine on Sep 4, 2019

There is a common misconception that developing a compliant proposal is relatively easy — you just follow the instructions in Section L of the Request for Proposal (RFP), the way Dorothy and Toto in The Wizard of Oz followed the yellow brick road.

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The Complete Newbie’s Guide to a Career in Proposal Writing

By Jake Lamarche, CF APMP, CPTC on Aug 13, 2019

So, you’re about to start proposal writing for the first time. Maybe you’re transitioning careers, or maybe you’re a recent college graduate, stepping into government contracting culture for the very first time. 

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How to Tackle Tight Page Limitations in Proposals

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Mar 20, 2019

Tight page limitations are becoming a more frequent challenge as contracting officers continue to look for ways to streamline their acquisition processes.

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Four Reasons Why Companies Lose Contracts They Might Have Won

By Jim McCarthy on Feb 25, 2019

Sure, companies lose contracts because of faulty pricing, unqualified key personnel, lack of customer insight, a flawed strategy or approach, or some other technicality or non-compliance. But too often, these maladies are only symptoms, not the root causes for a loss. 

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9 Powerful Microsoft Tips and Tricks for Proposals

By Emily Arnold, CF APMP, ITIL 4 on Feb 6, 2019

Did you know that Microsoft has a staggering 1.2 billion Microsoft Office users worldwide? These users include millions of professionals who rely on Microsoft Office software every day and use only a fraction of its capability. 

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How to Win Over Proposal Evaluators: Four Strategies to Score Higher

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Dec 20, 2018

We know that Evaluators evaluate and scoresubmitted proposals. Therefore, as bidders looking to win work, we should aim to make the evaluators’ jobs as painless as possible.

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How To Respond to A Large Statement of Work

By Ellen Perrine on Dec 12, 2018

What do you do when the Request for Proposal (RFP) provides a voluminous Statement of Work (SOW) or Performance Work Statement (PWS) and a minimal page count in which to address it in the proposal?

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2019 Government Contracting Outlook: Top 10 Trends

By Jim McCarthy on Nov 28, 2018

Each year at this time, we stop and take a breath. Clear our heads. Gain some perspective. And reconnoiter the GovCon horizon. 

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How to Write A Compelling Executive Summary [GUIDE]

By Harry Pritchett, CF APMP on Nov 8, 2018

You have just been tasked with writing the executive summary for a must-win proposal. 

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The Ultimate Proposal Playlist

By Sara Freeman Marchetto on Sep 27, 2018

We all have jams that amp us up. You know, the songs that get us up and moving no matter how tired we are. With all of the ups and downs that Proposal Professionals face on a daily basis, we decided to create a playlist to keep you motivated and smiling! 

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20 Laws of Winning Proposals

By Jim McCarthy on Sep 10, 2018

This time of year, the Government’s acquisition cycle is in full swing. Sometimes it helps to step back and consider what makes a difference between winning and losing government contracts.

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan Part 5: Proposal Writing

By Ellen Perrine on Sep 6, 2018

This article is the fifth installment of our Proposal Plan series that discusses Proposal Writing. 

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan, Part 4: Proposal Logistics

By Ellen Perrine on Aug 24, 2018

This is the fourth article in our Proposal Plan series that discusses the proposal logistics. 

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan Part 3: Win Strategy

By Ellen Perrine on Aug 17, 2018

This is the third part of our Proposal Plan series, that discusses developing the Win Strategy. 

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Turn Unsubstantiated Claims in Your Proposal into Credible Proof Points for a Higher Win Rate

By Ellen Perrine on Jul 16, 2018

An unsubstantiated claim in a proposal is a statement about any of your company’s capabilities, past experience and performance, product and service features/benefits, and discriminators that are not supported with a proof statement.

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan Part 1: Understanding the RFP Requirements

By Ellen Perrine on Jul 16, 2018

In government proposals, experienced Proposal Managers develop a Proposal Plan to guide them through the proposal effort.

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How to Survive a Red Team Review and Learn From It

By Jim McCarthy on Jul 12, 2018

All of us have been there. If not, your day will eventually come. The Red Team Review members have done their pigeon-like thing. Now, your proposal writers are swimming in the after wash. How do you learn from it, keep moving, and improve your proposal?  

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Category Management 2018 Update: A Guide for Government Contractors

By Amber Hart on May 16, 2018

In September 2016, I set off to explore unanswered questions regarding Category Management in our Category Management article series. Initial questions were:

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How to Deliver The Perfect Proposal Basket to the Government

By Ellen Perrine on Mar 29, 2018

Spring never fails to remind me of the Easter Bunny and eggs! 

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2018 Government Contracting Outlook: 10 Emerging Trends Identified

By Jim McCarthy on Mar 26, 2018

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (“The Act”), signed into law in March of 2018, provides $500 billion in new federal spending for defense and domestic programs over two years. 

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How to Develop Strong Section Theme Statements for a Proposal

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Mar 8, 2018

People often confuse proposal win themes and section themes. Win themes are those high-level features and benefits that transcend the entire proposal.

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Buyer's Research: How to Build Your Federal Opportunity Pipeline

By Amber Hart on Feb 22, 2018

We have all heard about the importance of maintaining a healthy business development pipeline—an organized, visual way of tracking multiple potential buyers (federal agencies) and developing (or stalled) opportunities through different stages in the government contracting procurement process.

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The Seven Cs of Proposal Writing Success

By Ashley Kayes, CPP APMP on Jan 30, 2018

It is becoming common knowledge that proposals are scored, not read. But as a writer, you may be compelled to tell the story in your proposal narrative. 

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7 Ways To Set Up a Winning Proposal Process On a Smaller Budget

By Raymond Thibodeaux on Jan 9, 2018

So much about developing proposals to win a government contract, is the scaffolding, the process.

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All I Want For Christmas: A Proposal Writer's Wish List

By Ellen Perrine on Dec 21, 2017

The holidays are fast approaching and Christmas is almost here! 

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10 Keys to Landing a Federal Contract Teaming Arrangement

By Jim McCarthy on Dec 11, 2017

In federal contracting, multi-company teaming arrangements are the rule rather than the exception.

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Contract Lingo: A Guide to IDIQ, GWAC and BPA Contracts

By Amber Hart on Nov 6, 2017

So your company is hunting "big game" in the government contracting world? Well, you are not alone.

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How to Manage Proposal Color Reviews When You Lack Time

By Doug Brisson on Oct 4, 2017

The progressive, sequenced structure of color-coded proposal reviews works. That is, it works on major proposals where you have lead time of 30 days or more, especially if there is a draft RFP that can help you jump start the process, and you have access to the client’s resources and Subject Matter Experts.

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10 Reasons to be Proud of Working in the Government Proposal World

By Jim McCarthy on Sep 29, 2017

We often hear negative representations of Government contractors, and these stories seem to garner a lot of media attention. But what about the positive impact these companies have on our larger community? Now more than ever, for professionals in the government market it's important to know that each day you come to work you are privileged to have the opportunity to do something great, difficult, unlikely, or nearly impossible to achieve.

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5 "Dumb" Questions a Proposal Team Should Never Be Afraid to Ask the Government

By Raymond Thibodeaux on Sep 18, 2017

We've all heard the phrase there is no such thing as a dumb question. The fact is, even a seemingly obvious question can elicit a helpful and sometimes surprising response by the Government.

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A Guide To Proposal Color Team Reviews & Ratings

By Doug Brisson on Sep 15, 2017

The world of Government proposals is a world with its own language and rituals. 

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How to Write Effective Resumes for Federal Proposals

By Raymond Thibodeaux on Jul 6, 2017

As someone who’s rewritten hundreds of resumes for federal proposals, you start to notice patterns in the way people construct their resumes that often make it difficult for evaluators to assess the quality of the candidates.

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Under Construction: How GovCon Can Adapt to the Fed’s Undecided Priorities

By Amber Hart on Jun 19, 2017

On May 23, 2017, the White House Administration released to the public part two of its FY18 budget named “A New Foundation for American Greatness.” 

This document works in tandem with the FY18 “skinny budget”  called “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again” released in March 2017. 


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Dead on Arrival? Dissecting Trump’s First Budget from a Proposal Professional's Perspective

By Amber Hart on Mar 21, 2017

On March 13, 2017, the Trump Administration released his “skinny budget”, his administrations’ first federal budget blueprint revealing the President's plan to dramatically reduce the size of the Government.

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The Chef Ramsays of Proposal Consulting: Seasoned Expert versus Annoying Know-It-All

By Raymond Thibodeaux on Feb 27, 2017

A benefit of being proposal consultants is the variety of our experience with a range of government proposal types, teams, and companies. It makes us useful and valuable but can also work against us.

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Category Management: 3 Resolutions Every Government Contractor Needs to Embrace in 2017

By Amber Hart on Jan 26, 2017

In this post, the final of my Category Management Series, I am going to make a few suggestions for Business Development and Strategy Professionals to add to their Bid and Proposal “New Year’s Resolution” list. These resolutions are primarily based on the key trend of contract consolidation through Category Management.

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What Does Category Management Have To Do With Me, The Business Development Professional?

By Amber Hart on Nov 3, 2016

Happy Fiscal New Year! With the start of the new fiscal year comes promises of a clean slate, and a fresh fiscal start (or at least funding until December 9). It is also an opportunity to reframe your everyday business development tasks and reinforce your tactics to stay competitive.

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The Benefits and Pitfalls of Category Management for Government Contractors

By Amber Hart on Sep 7, 2016

Now that we have the WHAT down for Category Management (read Part 1 here)– it is time to move on to WHY. But first, a brief history lesson:

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What is Category Management? A Guide for Government Contractors

By Amber Hart on Aug 16, 2016

Lately I have come across a myriad of blog posts, articles, conferences and stories detailing a mysterious and ominous Federal Government Category Management initiative.  I decided to do more research on the subject. I noticed two things immediately:

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How To Ask The Government Questions About an RFP

By Ellen Perrine on Oct 18, 2015

According to many contracting officers, there is no such thing as over communicating when it comes to bidding on a contract. The most successful government contractors will ask the contracting officer intelligent and thoughtful questions to gain the most information possible about the Request for Proposal (RFP).

This strategy will help you create a well scored proposal.

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6 Grammar School Lessons That Will Win Your Next Federal Proposal

By Carol Turpin on Apr 25, 2015

Remember 5th grade English Class? Learning to write essays meant being handed a topic you didn't like, trying to abide by a difficult deadline, feeling forced to write and revise multiple versions, and finally receiving useless comments from the teacher you are convinced hates you.

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Kissing The Blarney Stone: Proposal Team Fact vs. Fiction

By Ellen Perrine on Mar 17, 2015

Since it's St. Patrick’s Day, I got to thinking about some of the Irish legends, and the first one that came to mind was the legend of the Blarney Stone.

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How To Execute A Brilliant Capture Management to Proposal Team Handoff

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Jan 22, 2015

The most vulnerable point in the business development continuum is the handoff from capture manager to proposal management. This transfer to the proposal team seems to fail often. But why is that?

We see this time after time- the capture team creates a strong, defensible win strategy that by all measures should give the company an excellent chance of prevailing over the competition, but it never gets fully implemented by the proposal team management despite best intentions by all parties.  

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How To Win Your Next Contract Recompete

By Key Solutions on Jan 13, 2015

If you are an incumbent contractor, doing a respectable job, but have a nagging fear of customer “incumbent-itis” as the contract recompete date draws closer and closer, here’s a strategy and best practice that can help solidify your chances for winning:

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Why "The New Normal" In Government Contracting Is A Myth

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Dec 9, 2014

People in our industry are wondering to what extent today’s government contracting market conditions represent a “new normal.” And, if not, they wonder how soon can we expect a return to the “good old days?”

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Why Government Evaluators Use Oral Proposal Presentations

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Oct 16, 2014

The government's use of oral presentations as part of the proposal process rises and falls like waves in the ocean depending on the prevailing philosophy at the moment. 

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Why Your Program Manager Would Make a Bad Capture or Proposal Manager

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Sep 15, 2014

We are often asked, sometimes too late, if the incumbent program manager should be assigned as the Capture and/or Proposal Manager for the recompete.

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10 Ways A Positive Attitude Can Help You Become a Better Proposal Manager

By Jim McCarthy on Aug 17, 2014

Like it or not, as a Proposal Manager your attitude is infectious. For better or worse, you set the tone that others see and internalize. 

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan, Part 6: Color Team Reviews

By Ellen Perrine on Feb 1, 2014

In Government Proposals, experienced Proposal Managers develop a Proposal Plan to guide them through the proposal effort. This is the sixth in a series of articles that discusses part six of the planning process, Color Team Reviews.

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The Hunger Games: A Metaphor For Government Proposals

By Carol Turpin on Jan 8, 2014

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve heard of The Hunger Games, the dystopian trilogy by Suzanne Collins that has edged out Harry Potter’s seven books as Amazon’s best-selling series of all time. The movies set records, and fans worldwide are hysterical in their enthusiasm.

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How to Develop a Proposal Plan Part Two: RFP Analysis

By Ellen Perrine on Nov 5, 2013

In Government Proposals, experienced Proposal Managers develop a Proposal Plan to guide them through the proposal effort.

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Managing A Major Proposal? Before You Leap, Have A Vision

By Jim McCarthy on Oct 23, 2013

You've been assigned to manage a major proposal. Before springing into frenetic action, withdraw to your quiet place. Ground yourself. Anticipate. Plan. Preview in your mind the production about to unfold. Have a vision for how you will lead your team to win.

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The Anatomy of the Proposal Data Call

By Ellen Perrine on Sep 11, 2013

Your RFP (Request for Proposal) has just been released, and whether you are a single company, teamed with another company, or have multiple teaming partners, you will be required to submit various types of information as part of your proposal. 

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The Key To Technical Solution Architecture

By Jim McCarthy on Jul 17, 2013

As a Capture or Proposal Manager for a government contract bid, eventually someone will call for a technical “solution architecture.”

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10 Keys to Effective Stand Up Proposal Meetings

By Jim McCarthy on Jun 5, 2013

We have all been there: Stand-up meetings that began with such promise, but over time languished until we came to dread them as time wasters.

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The Keys to Effective Capture Management

By Dr. Richard Nathan on May 29, 2013

Capture is as much an art as science.

The best Capture Managers are not made in a classroom. The best capture techniques are learned from a mentor in the heat of battle.

Capture Management is too important to be delegated to the last individual standing when all of the direct charge numbers are handed out elsewhere. Inexperienced Capture Managers need tips, tools, methods, processes and insights on how to conduct effective capture.

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15 Tips For Writing Winning Proposal Resumes

By Carol Turpin on Apr 24, 2013

Companies often undervalue the importance of resumes until they learn that they can count for 40% or more of total proposal evaluation points. Then they search for a resume specialist.

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Successful Proposals: Understanding a Customer's Needs vs. Wants

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Apr 16, 2013

Successful proposals respond to the needs presented in the RFP. However, successful proposals also respond to “invisible” issues that influence decision-makers: their “wants.”

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15 Ways to Enhance Your Time Working on Federal Proposals

By Jim McCarthy on Jan 14, 2013

You’ve heard it before but that doesn’t stop me from saying it again: proposals are tough business. Don't get discouraged! Before you reach your breaking point, here are 15 actions to heighten your enjoyment when working on a long, complex, and demanding project or proposal.

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Are You Sure You Should Bid that Big IDIQ?

By Key Solutions on Oct 16, 2012

In the land of federal contracting "hunters and farmers," large IDIQ contract vehicles have become the prize catch for aggressive corporate hunters.

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How to Turn Your Proposal Into a Configuration Control Nightmare

By Carol Turpin on Sep 11, 2012

Since we proposal professionals don’t have enough pressure on us during a proposal effort, I thought I’d share these handy tips to spice up your life during those all-night deadline parties!

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Proposal Team

By Dr. Richard Nathan on Jul 30, 2012

No doubt about it, proposals are hard! Tight deadlines, incomprehensible and inconsistent RFP requirements, lack of sleep, high carb diets and the need to demonstrate to the government that not only are you qualified for the award, but you are the best choice, hands down. Many of these factors are outside of our control. Unfortunately, in many cases companies hamper themselves further by selecting a proposal team that is dysfunctional.

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Hey Incumbents! Contract Incumbentitis Is a Disease. Here's the Cure.

By Carol Turpin on Jul 24, 2012

In•cum•bent [in-'kəm-bənt] Noun. The current holder of a contract. Ex: The incumbent was preparing for a recompete of work it had successfully performed for years.

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Ensure a Strong Finish! Edit Your Proposal

By Ellen Perrine on Jul 12, 2012

A sad, but true, fact of the proposal business is that proposals are not always edited to ensure that they are grammatically correct, internally consistent, conform to the pre-established proposal Style Guide, and read as though the entire proposal was written by the same person (commonly referred to as “one voice”).

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