Managing Federal Proposals
This workshop teaches essential skills for managing a full proposal or proposal volume in the U.S. federal market space. It focuses on how to lead teams to produce written or electronic proposals in response to a U.S. federal Request for Proposals (RFP), beginning with necessary preparation work that must precede assignment of topics to authors. It also develops detailed understanding of federal proposal evaluation processes and their impact on proposal planning and management.
Many of the skills imparted are applicable to commercial and non-federal government proposals. But students should understand the heavy emphasis on federal procurement and the fact that most case study and example material will reflect that orientation.
Workshop Details
Pricing To Win
This 2-day workshop teaches skills for business development, marketing, capture management, pricing, and finance personnel, including:
- Understanding customers’ acquisition budgets, including sources and uses
- Understanding customer assessments of bidders’ proposed prices/Price-capability trade-offs
- Reviewing competitors’ probable solutions and likely pricing strategies and tactics
- Iteratively adapting your company's solution, price, and capture strategy to improve win probability
- Influencing customers to prefer your company's own solution and price over competitors’ prior to release of an RFP
- Guiding proposal pricing efforts to ensure the offer places your organization in a position to compete and ultimately win
- Securing the award after proposal submittal by refining and executing pricing strategies
Participants actively engage in hands-on exercises based on a real-world competitive opportunity. This fast-paced workshop builds skills and expands knowledge in this critical aspect of winning business.
Winning in the Cost Volume
Learn skills related to planning and writing sections in any portion of a proposal. Practice a proven process for planning content and layout of winning proposal sections. You will also learn how to ensure your section will score highly during evaluation through a government evaluation.
You will learn to:
- Plan content using a storyboard to be compliant and implement approved proposal strategies
- Incorporate effective graphics and captions to better communicate messages
- Mockup section layout
- Organize content to be persuasive, write the planned proposal section, and examine the section draft for effectiveness
- Collaborate and coordinate with other team members writing different sections of the proposal
Managing Federal Proposals
Learn essential skills for managing a full proposal or volume in the U.S. federal market space. Develop detailed understating of federal proposal evaluation processes and their impact on proposal planning management.
You will learn to:
- Assess your own proposals like a government evaluation team
- Convert action-based capture strategies into message-based proposal strategies or win themes
- Assign requirements to appropriate authors for coverage in the proposal
- Prepare for and conduct an effective kickoff meeting, including providing clear instructions to authors
- Lead high-performing proposal teams on fast-paced schedules
Writing Federal Proposals
Learn skills related to planning and writing sections in any portion of a proposal. Practice a proven process for planning content and layout of winning proposal sections. You will also learn how to ensure your section will score highly during evaluation through a government evaluation.
You will learn to:
- Plan content using a storyboard to be compliant and implement approved proposal strategies
- Incorporate effective graphics and captions to better communicate messages
- Mockup section layout
- Organize content to be persuasive, write the planned proposal section, and examine the section draft for effectiveness
- Collaborate and coordinate with other team members writing different sections of the proposal
Capturing Business
Learn to improve your competitive position before your customer releases a request for proposal. By learning how to select and pursue the most winnable opportunities, you can lower business development costs and increase revenue.
Working with a team representing one of several contractors, you’ll cover topics including:
- Analyzing and building knowledge about potential business opportunities
- Understanding competitors and their likely approaches
- Developing strategically sound solutions to the customer’s needs
- Influencing customers to prefer your solution over competitors’
Managing Proposals
Learn essential skills for managing a full proposal or volume in the U.S. federal market space. Develop detailed understating of federal proposal evaluation processes and their impact on proposal planning management.
You will learn to:
- Assess your own proposals like a government evaluation team
- Convert action-based capture strategies into message-based proposal strategies or win themes
- Assign requirements to appropriate authors for coverage in the proposal
- Prepare for and conduct an effective kickoff meeting, including providing clear instructions to authors
- Lead high-performing proposal teams on fast-paced schedules
Writing Proposals
Learn skills related to planning and writing sections in any portion of a proposal. Practice a proven process for planning content and layout of winning proposal sections. You will also learn how to ensure your section will score highly during evaluation through a government evaluation.
You will learn to:
- Plan content using a storyboard to be compliant and implement approved proposal strategies
- Incorporate effective graphics and captions to better communicate messages
- Mockup section layout
- Organize content to be persuasive, write the planned proposal section, and examine the section draft for effectiveness
- Collaborate and coordinate with other team members writing different sections of the proposal
Course Description
This interactive workshop builds the proposal management skill set through lecture, discussion, simulations, and exercises. It begins with a detailed simulation of the government’s evaluation of proposals for a real competitive procurement, creating insight into how proposals can be developed to score highly. It progresses through all necessary steps for planning and managing creation of a compliant sales document.
OnDemand Advantages
- Learn at your own pace
- Revisit prior modules, as needed
- Practice key principles with case study exercises
- Test understanding with quizzes and a final exam
- Work toward Shipley Business Winning Certification
- Earn APMP CEUs and PMP PDU units
Featured Modules
Completion Criteria
What you'll learn
- Assess your own proposals like a government evaluation team
- Convert action-based capture strategies into message based proposal strategies or win themes
- Develop a comprehensive compliance checklist
- Create a compliant proposal outline
- Assign requirements to appropriate authors for coverage in the proposal
- Prepare for and conduct an effective kickoff meeting, including providing clear instructions to authors
- Lead high-performing proposal teams on fast-paced schedules
- Prepare for effective reviews
- Exploit knowledge of the selection process to guide interactions with your customer after proposal submittal
Benefits of Shipley OnDemand
With no fixed schedule and ample time to go back and review topics as needed, our on-demand course offers you an effective use of your time and training investment. In addition, our OnDemand— Micro Course provides:
- Reinforcement of key concepts, principles, and best practices contained in Shipley training
- Access to Shipley’s best practice guidebooks for ongoing reference and guidance
- Convenient log-in to learning sites wherever you have web access
Who Should Attend?
- Proposal Managers
- Proposal Developers
Topics covered
- Maximizing evaluation scores
- Recap: business development process
- Developing proposal strategies
- Building proposal schedules
- Creating proposal outlines
- Developing compliance checklists and matrix
- Developing the writers’ package
- Planning and conducting kickoff meetings
- Leading proposal operations
- Conducting proposal reviews
- Production planning and delivery
- Supporting final proposal revisions
Certification
Below are the credits earned for this course and remaining credits needed to complete Shipley Certification
- Earned: 2 Core Learning Units for Proposal Management
- Remaining: 4 Core Learning Units for Capture Management and Proposal Writing; 4 Elective Learning Units
Cancellation Policy
Change Policy: If you cannot attend a workshop for which you have registered, you may transfer to another workshop of equal value, or you may substitute attendees from your company without penalty.
Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration, a $75 processing fee will be charged on all cancellations made up to 14 days in advance of the workshop start date. For cancellations made 14 days or less prior to the start of a workshop, a Cancellation Fee of $400 will be charged. If you do not attend a workshop and do not advise us, the full price of registration will be charged. Shipley Associates may cancel a workshop if enrollment is not sufficient and will coordinate your attendance in another workshop.
Discounts
If you register 30 days prior to the start of this workshop, enter EARLYBIRD at checkout to receive $100 off your registration fee!
Active duty military, veterans, and those with certifications from the Project Management Institute (PMI) or Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) are eligible for an additional discount. Please contact mprice@shipleywins.com for details and discount code.
Workshop Length
- 2 Days
- 2 Shipley University™ Units
Workshop Material
- Workshop Manual
- Shipley Proposal Guide™
Module Length
Cost
Course Subscription
Register for Training
No available trainings
We will be scheduling this course soon. Sign up to be notified
OnDemand Course
Looking for private training for your group?
Training Solutions Tailored to Your Needs: We offer comprehensive training programs on any topics in business development, capture management, proposal management and/or proposal writing. Our solutions are customized to align perfectly with your organization's specific business model, processes, and goals. To ensure optimal results, we conduct complimentary needs assessments for all our corporate clients before designing your training program.
Flexible Delivery Options for Your Convenience: Choose the delivery method that suits your team best. We offer in-person training at your preferred location, engaging live-online sessions, or a hybrid approach combining both for ultimate flexibility.
Training Duration Adapts to Your Schedule: Whether you need a focused, short workshop or an in-depth, multi-day program, we can tailor the duration of our training to fit your schedule and desired learning outcomes.
Specialized Expertise for Diverse Clients: With over five decades of experience, we are experts in serving a wide range of organizations, from small businesses and mid-sized firms to large corporations, NGOs, and those working with the private sector. Our proven approach ensures that each training program addresses the unique challenges and objectives of your specific industry.
Rapid Response and Just-in-Time Training for Time-Sensitive Needs: We understand that opportunities can arise quickly. That's why we offer rapid response training services that can be tailored to your specific needs and delivered within less than a month's notice.
Comprehensive Suite of Training Services: Beyond our core training programs, we offer a variety of additional services to enhance your organization's capabilities, including Needs Assessments, Train-the-Trainer (ToT) programs, Organizational Certifications, Curriculum Design/Development, and Internal Employee Career Advancement Training support.
Global Training Solutions: With a large number of Shipley offices worldwide, we deliver training in any language, time zone, or location, with simultaneous interpretation available for seamless communication.
