OUR CLIENTS

Put simply, we have great clients.  Our clients know what they do best, have a track record of success, and apply for opportunities that fit their capabilities.  We work closely with our clients, and involve them as much as possible, while appreciating that they hire us to make their lives easier!

STRATEGY

We approach proposals strategically.  We begin every proposal by analyzing the priorities of the funding organization.  We study the RFP or grant solicitation in detail.  We conduct additional research.  Once we thoroughly understand the funder’s priorities, we develop win themes that speak to these priorities.  Our proposals are message-driven, matching our clients’ strengths and abilities with prospective funders’ goals and focus.

COMPLIANCE

We are 100% compliant.  RFPs and grant applications usually contain very specific instructions.  We follow them to the letter. 

METHODOLOGY

We use proven proposal methodologies designed by leading proposal experts across the country.  We prefer to develop proposals in a series of logical steps, starting with establishing and following realistic deadlines, doing our homework on the funder,  developing a solid solution, getting critical feedback in time to make edits, and submitting on time. 

LAY OUT & DESIGN

It’s critical to appeal to different types of evaluators.  Some evaluators read every word; others simply gloss over your diagrams and pictures.  We write proposals that appeal to both.  We include plenty of white space, and break up the text with bullet points, subheadings, and appropriate graphics that enhance readability.

INTEGRITY

Sometimes we have to say “no.”  We discourage clients from spending time and money pursuing opportunities outside their reasonable scope of expertise and for which they are not realistically positioned to win.

LUCK

Luck is on our side.  We’d like to say we win because we’re the smartest proposal writers in the business.  The truth is that we’re smart enough to realize that we’ve been incredibly lucky.  Being at the right place at the right time is half the battle in business development.

PASSION

We honestly love working on proposals.  Our energy and enthusiasm show in the quality of our work. 

Amy’s Role

Procuring Agency

The Challenge & Our Results

Proposal Manager and Lead Writer

Lower Rio Grande Workforce Development Board (Texas)

Politically, Lockheed Martin IMS had everything going against it. They had been removed as the board’s contractor for performance issues and were suing the board for breach of contract. When the board issued an RFP, senior managers within the company decided to apply despite the political challenges.  I led a team of proposal writers and subject matter experts (SMEs) to craft a winning solution and wrote a proposal that scored more evaluation points than any competitor. We won back the business, valued at $20 million.

Writer

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), United States Department of the Navy

A team of companies formed a strategic partnership to bid on a global contingency construction contract. It was critical to work as a cohesive team, while protecting confidential and proprietary information. I worked with the team to develop win themes for our proposal effort and a strategy for writing our executive summary.  I also wrote 22 job descriptions for senior-level engineering and construction positions. Once all partners approved the job descriptions, I identified the key positions for which we should submit a resume.  I helped the partners determine which individuals from which companies had the strongest credentials to include with our proposal. I wrote resumes for 18 SMEs, ensuring that each resume was concise, complete, and 100% compatible with the corresponding job description. Our team won the bid, and earned a new $1 billion contract.

Co-Proposal Manager

State of Arizona, Department of Economic Development

The department had issued several RFPs over the past five years, each time opting to provide services itself rather than through contracting. Federal regulators issued a mandate stating that the state must procure service delivery, so the department once again issued an RFP.  The bid was highly competitive, with very strong national and local competition. Our offering combined innovative technology solutions with strong community-based partnerships and a proven service delivery strategy. I co-managed the effort, serving as lead writer on explaining our model. This bid won ACS State & Local Solutions a contract valued at $25 million per year.

Strategist & Writer

Florida Department of Education

Excel Alternative Schools operates two expulsion alternative schools in Orange County (Orlando), one of the largest school districts in the country. I helped them write a proposal to the Florida Department of Education for grant monies to help remedial students in Orange County advance and earn credits through innovative computer assisted instructional technology and a new curriculum tailored to over-aged students. The bid won over $9 million in new business.