Proposal Writing Chapter 12

What is a Proposal? Proposals are documents designed to persuade someone to follow or accept a specific course of action. Proposals usually offer to solve a problem or to provide a service or product and then suggest a specific plan for solving the problem or for providing the service or product. It often lays out a timetable or budget. An effective proposal is persuasive; it convinces readers to accept and possibly to pay for the work that it proposes.

Types of Proposals Solicited Proposals originate when a person, an organization or a government agency requests qualified organizations and individuals to submit their qualifications to do work, to submit bids to complete proposed work, or to submit proposals for manufacturing equipment or other items according to specifications. Unsolicited Proposals are not requested by the organization, individuals or government agency that receives them. Unlike solicited proposals, unsolicited proposals must convince readers that a specific problem exists before explaining a plan, cost, or qualifications.

Internal, External. If you write a proposal to someone within your organization (a business, a government agency, etc.), it is an internal proposal. With internal proposals, you may not have to include certain sections (such as qualifications), or you may not have to include as much information in them. An external proposal is one written from one separate, independent organization or individual to another such entity. The typical example is the independent consultant proposing to do a project for another firm.

Find out about the Readers Is the proposal solicited or unsolicited? Are your readers internal or external? If your readers are external, what positions do they hold in their organization? What do they know about you or your organization? Have their previous experience with your or your organization been positive? If not, why? If your readers are internal, where are their positions in relation to yours in the organizational hierarchy? Will more than one group of readers read the proposal? If so, what sections will each group read? What do your readers know about the problem or need that prompted the proposal?

Prepare to Answer Readers’ Questions See Figure 12.2

Common Sections in Proposals Introduction Background Benefits and feasibility Description of the proposed work Method, procedure, theory Schedule Qualifications Costs, resources required Conclusions Special project-specific sections

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