Shattering Proposal Myths: Myth 5 – Anyone Can Run a Proposal Effort
Scenario 1: The Government releases an opportunity worth about $5m annually. It aligns directly with Government Contractor ABC’s core work. With annual revenue of $70 million, senior management considers submitting a bid. They have a single proposal manager in the organization, and she is involved in two live bids. Senior management decides to bid, but elects to have a junior PM from the line organization run the opportunity.
Scenario 2: A small business, Company XYZ, draws about $15m annually in revenue from Government contracts. An opportunity worth $10M annually is released. Winning this bid would dramatically transform the company, but it requires a lot of work. The submission consists of 3 volumes and about 200 pages of content. The Senior Growth Leader, who has worked on proposals but never led one, decides he can take on managing the bid.
Most proposal professionals encounter these scenarios in their careers. It’s part of a wider (albeit diminishing) perspective that proposal development is simply a function and not a specialization. So what are the ramifications of this perspective? And, more importantly, how can proposal professionals overcome such narrow mindsets?
WE CANT AFFORD CONSULTANTS
Most small firms, and even many in the mid-sized tier, cannot afford full time proposal resources. Even those that do must staff for a steady state of operations. As soon as ’busy season’ comes, these firms are scrambling for resources to pitch in on an effort, and often to lead it.
Companies always have the option of bringing on proposal consultants to handle these situations. Unfortunately, many firms make a short-term financial decision when choosing to bring in consultants. An experienced subject matter expert in the field is going to be expensive, but can deliver a high return on investment when used properly. These individuals know how to put together great proposals and, when used throughout the bid life cycle, can dramatically increase a firm’s probability of win. Spending thousands of dollars for high-quality support today can mean millions in revenue in the future. Making that value argument can convince many executives, especially if there is some sort of “win bonus” for the consultant that decreases the up-front cost.
PROPOSALS ARE JUST PROJECTS
Would you hire an IT project manager to run a complex construction effort? Of course not. Just because someone knows the high-level mechanics of running a project does not mean they understand everything required to manage specialized situations.
The same is true of proposals. While proposals are, at their heart, projects (and I am working on a guide to using Microsoft Project for opportunity management), there are unique pieces of knowledge and insight that can make the difference between a smooth effort and a struggle, and in the end between a win and a loss.
The best way to be successful in proposals is to be clear, concise, compelling, and compliant. Just as you wouldn’t trust an IT project manager to oversee pouring the footings for a skyscraper, companies shouldn’t trust people without experience with, a clear commitment to, and a passion for proposals to run key efforts.
I HAVE WORKED ON PROPOSALS – I CAN LEAD ONE
There are many examples in sports of great players making mediocre (at best) coaches and executives. Isaiah Thomas was one of the best point guards in college and professional basketball. Yet he was an awful coach. Gambling aside, Pete Rose was a middling manager after setting the record for most hits in an MLB career.
Why? Because it takes different skill sets to contribute and to lead. The same holds true for proposals. As I mentioned previously, running proposals requires unique skills and knowledge. One can be a great proposal writer and contributor but not be prepared to lead an effort.
Secondly, proposal contributors rarely see all the mechanizations involved in running a bid. There are a number of tasks a proposal manager undertakes behind the scenes, from building a template and outline and setting review expectations to hounding subcontractors and rewriting sections to make sure global themes are clear. Just because someone has been a strong proposal contributor doesn’t mean they are ready to lead a key effort, especially without mentorship. The more we can make this argument with key stakeholders, and the more we can show value on individual opportunities, the less likely the company will pull in someone with contribution experience to lead an effort.
CONCLUSION
APMP has made great strides in advocating for the recognition of proposal development as a distinct and valuable profession in both the Government and commercial space. However, we have not won the war yet. We need to continue to prove our value and sway more converts, Doing so will help improve proposal development and, by extension, the ability to meet our client’s needs.