News & Knowledge Center
3 Keys to Creating Winning Proposals
A defined and efficient process is essential to success.
This article was originally published June 14, 2010 on WashingtonTechnology.com.
A defined and efficient process is essential to success.
Creating winning proposals is not the same as writing a proposal. Anyone can write a proposal for government work, given enough time and resources. However, only one bidder writes the winning proposal. The best proposals have three things in common:
- They are directed and written by talented people experienced at writing proposals.
- They follow a similar, defined process.
- They are designed in an environment that creates proposals efficiently.
Your capture and proposal managers bring necessary skills to plan, staff, lead and control your capture campaign and develop your competitive proposal. They work as a team and understand each member’s role. The capture manager leads the campaign, and the proposal manager comes in before a request for proposals is released to focus on developing the proposal.
This team knows that the first step is developing a…
What the Government Won’t Tell You About Your Proposal
When you talk, be prepared and know what is left unsaid.
This article was originally published December 14, 2010 on WashingtonTechnology.com.
Congratulations, your proposal has made competitive range, and the government has contacted you to discuss your offer. What the government will and won’t tell you in these discussions can be a surprise to the unprepared bidder, but sophisticated players know the rules and what to expect.
First, it is important to know if your dialogue with the government is a discussion or a clarification. There is a difference, and it is important to which type of communication is being requested.
Discussions are a formal part of the federal procurement process that allows the government to engage in a substantive dialogue with offerors. They occur after the competitive range determination.
If you engage in discussions, a meaningful two-way exchange of information, then you are entitled to revise any part of your proposal you desire — unless, of course, the government tells you otherwise.
If…
What Drives the Best Capture Managers?
The need to win is the key when picking the best person to chase the big contracts.
This article with Bob Lohfeld was originally published in Washington Technology magazine October 9, 2009.
By David Hubler
Good capture managers are known for their business and technical skills, understanding of complex government requirements, and intimate knowledge of their company’s competencies.
“Nobody is born knowing how to program a computer. But the competitiveness, I think, is born,” said Bob Lohfeld, president of Lohfeld Consultant Group, a consulting firm that specializes in capture management. “And you’ve got to have gifted ability if you’re going to play at a level of professionalism that a larger company and a successful company will demand.”
Some industry experts liken capture management to the sports world, where overall excellence is rare and therefore highly valued.
“Good or excellent capture managers are very hard to come by,” said Eric Gregory, senior vice president of…
Planning for Better Capture Management
Capture management is everything a company does to raise its win probability between the time it decides to pursue an expected government contract and the time the RFP is released.
This interview with Bob Lohfeld was originally published in Washington Technology magazine October 9, 2009.
Oct 09, 2009
Q: What is capture management?
Lohfeld: Capture management is everything a company does to raise its win probability between the time it decides to pursue an expected government contract and the time the RFP is released.
Q:How does it work?
Lohfeld: After identifying an opportunity before the RFP is released, the company performs an early stage qualification review to make sure the deal fits the company and that there is a reasonable chance of winning. A capture team is then created from the line operation or from a standing group of capture executives. These are people who know how to orchestrate activities in the marketplace and in the company. They become the champions for the pursuit of the activity, bringing in technical experts, business development experts and consultants as needed. Together they form the capture…
