TArticles tagged with: proposal management

Using mind maps for proposal management activities

Visually generate, organize, structure, analyze, and classify ideas or information

I teach a proposal management class and use mind map examples for some of the lesson topics. I’m often surprised to learn that many of my students are not familiar with the mind map concept. In this article, I briefly introduce mind mapping and provide a few examples of how your proposal team can use mind maps as you prepare your proposal. What is a mind map? A mind map is a diagram used to visually generate, organize, structure, analyze, and classify ideas or information. It is an effective tool to capture and analyze information generated in brainstorming sessions. It facilitates collaboration, communication, learning, visual thinking, and problem solving. Mind maps can be used for planning, making decisions, and to facilitate outlining and writing. To create a mind map, you begin with a central concept/topic and develop related subtopics or themes around the central topic, connecting each to the center … Continue reading Using mind maps for proposal management activities →

Leading Teams on the Fly

To be successful, team leaders must understand the difference between teamwork and teaming.

Republished with permission from the APMP NCA Fall eZine Capture and proposal team leaders face challenges inherent to our business: fluid team composition, multiple concurrent tasks and opportunities, competing demands, changing priorities, and short deadlines. Most companies have a permanent cadre of full -time capture and proposal professionals supplemented by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), consultants, and other specialists (contracts, pricing, Human Resources) for specific efforts. The fluid nature of capture and proposal teams creates challenges and opportunities for the team leader. To be successful, team leaders must understand the difference between teamwork and teaming. What’s the Difference? According to Harvard Business Review (HBR), teamwork is about stable teams of people who have learned to work together over time, for example, a Proposal Operations group. Teaming is “teamwork on the fly”: when we “gather experts in temporary groups to solve problems they’re encountering for the first and perhaps only time.” When … Continue reading Leading Teams on the Fly →

Set Your Sights on USDA Centers of Excellence Bids for Q4 and Beyond

A series of acquisitions covering multiple skill sets, technology stacks, and application portfolios

In December, the White House announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would serve as the first of GSA’s Center of Excellence (CoE) for IT Modernization. USDA is at the forefront for implementing the Trump administration’s IT Modernization Plan with a series of acquisitions covering multiple skill sets, technology stacks, and application portfolios. Multiple Award BPA Under Phase 1, in March 2018, USDA awarded five contracts to collaborate and partner with the agency on strategy and planning for upcoming bids. On July 30, 2018, USDA released its first Phase 2 CoE acquisition under GSA Schedule 70 via e-Buy, due August 10: a multiple award Blanket Purchasing Agreement (BPA) for Infrastructure Optimization Cloud Adoption. With a two-year period of performance, the program will require the selected vendors to work with USDA’s Cloud Platform Services (CPS) organization responsible for enterprise-wide cloud adoption and infrastructure optimization. USDA plans to make an award … Continue reading Set Your Sights on USDA Centers of Excellence Bids for Q4 and Beyond →

Proposal brain

Mental fatigue is real and can affect your proposal success

Do you feel forgetful? Is your thinking cloudy? Are you making mistakes? Are you scrambling your words? If so, chances are you have “proposal brain” or what some call “brain fry.” In my experience, working long hours over a stretch of several days without a break causes the problem and no amount of sugar, caffeine or binge watching your favorite shows can cure it. So, what causes this occupational hazard? I used to work with a doctor who chalked it up to mental fatigue or too many hours spent in front a computer screen without a break. Some people can go for several days without feeling the effects of proposal brain and some just hours. So, if you get proposal brain how can you to get rid of it? Here are five tips, I found helpful. Step away from the screen – Leave your office and go for a walk … Continue reading Proposal brain →