Creating Effective Proposals Proposal Writing -- Guidelines and Hints C O N S U L T I N G

Proposal Writing Re-using Material Reusable Material -- text or graphics from previous proposals that address similar requirements Don’t throw boilerplate together and call it a section Clients/evaluators know when they’re reading generic text, and resent it! Thoroughly review and modify any text or graphics you reuse Tailor the material to the client and the RFP Commonly reused material - qualifications, client profiles, resumes, statistics, capabilities, graphics Always dangerous to reuse technical solutions/approaches

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Proposal Tone Begin sentences with the client’s concern Show understanding and empathy of that concern - prove that you know the client (names, sites, systems) Respond to that concern Be direct, confident and assertive, but not arrogant Guard against too many paragraphs beginning: “KPMG understands...” or “KPMG recognizes...” Substantiate claims with statistics and examples Superlatives are generally bad (can’t be substantiated) Mix the use of “we” and “KPMG” throughout

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Proposal Tone Examples Proper Example: “ Over the past several years, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst has initiated a broad review of its administrative systems, resulting in the selection of the PeopleSoft Student Administration System. “ Based on your RFP, we recognize that UMass desires specificassistance related to the business process redesign of your student services, and fit-gap analyses for these improved processes.” Improper Example: “KPMG is the global leader in every meaningful and quantifiable way.” (!)

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Proposal Tense Use “active” voice - the actor comes before the verb Avoid “passive” voice - no actor, vague, unresponsive Correct: “KPMG will develop the system.” Incorrect: “The system will be developed.” Follow the “true tense” rule, whether past, present, or future Correct: “The current system interfaces with...” “The future system will increase access…” Incorrect: “The future system interfaces with…”

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Bullet Lists Break up lengthy narrative Change a sentence that lists many items to a bullet list Avoid switching tense, voice, or tone within the list Use parallel wording to start each bullet (the same kind of word - verb, noun, adjective, etc.) Capitalize the first word of each bullet in the list Introduce bullet list with a colon, then separate each bullet with either a semi-colon or nothing Example of a consistent bullet list: “The NASA system will provide the following benefits: þIncreased response time þImproved customer service þImmediate data access”

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Graphics Another great way to break up continuous text Much easier to read and review Depict processes, flows, activities better than text Can be tables, matrices, or full-scale foldouts Serve many purposes such as: Staffing: names, skills, years of experience, org. charts Qualifications: statistics, dates, projects, numbers Work plan: tasks, hours, staff assigned Technical: diagrams, architectures, system designs Training: course structure, methodology RFP requirements compliance checklist

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Grammar and Punctuation Insert a comma after each element in a series of more than two elements, and in numbers of 1,000 or more Use two spaces: – between numbers and title of section headings – after periods and colons Use one space after commas and semicolons Reference other sections of the proposal when appropriate, as such: – In section 4.3, “Potential Problems,” we discuss our risk management policies.

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Follow Word Conventions Refer to “convention word list” established by Proposal Coordinator Helps different writers/sections sound consistent Eases final editing somewhat (search/replace list) When in doubt, defer to RFP/client usage Prime examples: – project vs. engagement – client/server vs. client-server – UNIX vs. Unix – database vs. data base – work plan vs. workplan Run spell check EVERY time you exit a file!

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Additional Language Guidelines Avoid using superlatives (“all, every, never”) KPMG Legal also frowns on it Use “exceeds the requirements” sparingly if we really do, we should explain how and why Avoid the ambiguous “etc.” at the end of a series Use words for numbers less than 10 Use numbers when referring to time, money, distance, or percentage Avoid “i.e.” and “e.g.” - use “for example” Avoid “via” - use “through” or “using” Know difference between “its” and “it’s” “KPMG staff” is singular, “personnel” are plural; “datum” is singular, “data” are plural

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing “Support, Provide and Ensure” Most overused words in proposals Used so much they can begin to lose their meaning Some suggested alternatives: – advocate, affirm, aid, approve, assist, confirm, control, convey, demonstrate, develop, direct, effect, enable, encourage, enhance, establish, execute, facilitate, favor, improve, lead to, maintain, manage, monitor, obtain, offer, perform, promote, result in, strengthen, verify

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Versions and Revisions Use MS Word “Comments” feature for notes to the reviewer or yourself (outstanding issues, holes) Have reviewers use MS Word “Revisions” feature on soft-copy edits so you can see the changes made to your text Always maintain a copy (and backup copy) of the most recent version of your document different versions floating around cause nightmares use version numbering conventions When revising text, have the RFP/OFS handy

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Summary Re-read the RFP/OFS requirements and evaluation criteria Think before you start writing Use outlines and graphics to organize thoughts Customize the text to the client - use specific examples Use bullets and tables for clarity Look for graphics opportunities to break up a lot of narrative Balance content: client need vs. KPMG capability Avoid chestbeating - do more paragraphs begin with the client’s name than KPMG? They should. Every writer needs and editor

C O N S U L T I N G Proposal Writing Any Questions? Carl Rosenblatt BDST Manager, Public Services Tyson’s Tower