The RFP/RFQ survival guide: writing proposals that win

For firms that work with government agencies, almost every major contract starts with a request for proposals (RFP) or a request for qualifications (RFQ). Dozens of firms, sometimes many more, may answer the same one. So how do you write the proposal that wins?

Not by writing more. Winning proposals come from better strategy, clearer writing and a structure that makes it easy for evaluators to give you points.

Start before the RFP is published

The best proposals are underway before the solicitation appears. Go to industry days, meet the agency’s procurement staff and learn what the agency is trying to achieve. When the RFP comes out, you should already know what worries its leadership. Then your proposal can answer their problems, not just their checklist.

Read the agency’s recent press releases, board minutes and strategic plans. If a transportation agency has been talking about equity, show how your approach supports fair outcomes, and build it into your technical approach rather than a paragraph of boilerplate.

Write for the evaluator

Evaluators often score many proposals on a tight deadline. They are not reading for pleasure. They are checking your proposal against a scoring sheet, so make that easy.

Mirror the evaluation criteria. Use section headings that match the RFP’s criteria, in the same order.
Spend pages where the points are. If past performance is worth 30%, technical approach 40% and staffing 30%, divide your page count the same way.
Lead with your strongest point. Put it in the first sentence of each section, not the last.
Make key facts easy to find. Use short lists and tables. Three bullets naming your project manager’s relevant experience, your quality control process and how often you will report back beat a 500-word paragraph about project management.

Tell one story

Many proposals read like a stack of boilerplate: a generic company history, generic résumés and a generic method. Winning proposals tell one story. They connect the agency’s challenge to your team’s specific experience and show clearly how the project will succeed.

Start with a strong executive summary. It is often the most-read section, so use it to show that you understand the project, what sets you apart and how you would approach the work. Then back it up with past projects that match the scope and complexity of this one. A capability statement says “we can do this.” A specific example says “we have done this, and this is how the client benefited.”

Don’t lose on compliance

Most rejected proposals fail for simple reasons: a missing form, too many pages, a mandatory qualification left out or a late submission. All of them are avoidable.

Build a compliance checklist from the RFP before anyone writes a word.
Make one person responsible for compliance and another for deadlines.
Keep the last 48 hours for a full read-through by someone who hasn’t worked on the proposal. Fresh eyes catch what tired ones miss.

Bring in a writer

Proposal writing is its own skill. The project manager who does excellent engineering work is not always the best person to describe it. A professional writer who understands how agencies think can turn your experience into a proposal that is clear, persuasive and easy to score.

Procurement is competitive, but with the right preparation a proposal doesn’t have to be a long shot.

We help firms plan, write and lay out proposals. If you have a submission coming up, tell us about it.