2. Winning Government Contracts
An Overview
Crafting Successful Proposals
Elements of a Proposal
Contract Types
Competitive Edge, Pitfalls and
Components
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3. Objective
To provide a set of tools for developing a
quality proposal that meets the
expectations of funding agencies.
To introduce a methodology for effectively
structuring and completing activities.
To gain an understanding of how to
develop a proposal writing process for
submitting a quality proposal.
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4. Importance of Using Project
Management Tools in
Proposal Development
Provides structure that promotes success.
Saves: money, time, & resources.
Promotes good communication.
Keeps the focus on goals and outcomes.
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5. When to use Project Management
When there are:
Time Constraints
Money Constraints
Performance Constraints
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6. What is a Project?
‘A temporary endeavor undertaken to
create a unique product, service, or
result.’
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7. What is a Project?
In Layman’s Terms…
If it has:
A specific and desired outcome
A deadline or target date
A budget that limits resources
Then it is a project…
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8. Activities Considered Projects
Planting a Garden
Writing and publishing an article or book
Rearranging your office
Installing software on your computer
Hosting a Technical Assistant Workshop
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9. What is Project Management?
‘Application of knowledge, skills, tools, and
techniques to meet or exceed stakeholders needs
and expectations.’
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10. Stakeholders
‘Person, group, or organization that has
direct or indirect stake in an
organization because it can affect or be
affected by the organization's actions.’
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13. Defining The Work
SCOPE
Defines the work, or
Outlines the expected work effort
SCOPE STATEMENT
Deliverables + Objectives
Confirms or develops clarity among
stakeholders
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14. Outlining the Work
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
‘A results-oriented family tree that captures all the
work of a project in an organized way.’
*Not a to do list
WBS Components
Cost Centers
Work Packages
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16. Assessing the Work
Risk Assessment
‘The identification of any event that if occurred,
could have a negative or positive impact on your
project.’
Risk assessment is a area which we always have
to do all the time.
Risk should be communicated promptly and
loudly.
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22. Closing out the Project
Project Close-out
The last major phase of a project's life
cycle is the close-out.
Conducting a lessons learned session
Recognizing outstanding achievement
Celebrating project completion
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25. Activity
Break off into groups of 3:
List the activities commonly used in
developing proposal.
Organize the list in chronological order.
Develop a timeline for submitting a 10
page proposal.
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Editor's Notes
Emphasize that the endeavor is:
Temporary - Has a definite beginning and a definite ending.
Unique - Some distinguishable difference from other endeavors. Also has a specific objective.
A project is not a routine duty.
Animated to come in one at a time, so emphasize.
It is done once a year at a particular time, with a particular deliverable date.
Process oriented task that is temporary with a specific deliverable.
Isolated event that has a budget and demands planning.
What are other things that you have done that may be considered a project?
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholders (People that are important to the project) needs and expectations from a project.
Knowledge – what you know (you already have)
Skills – what you know how to do (If you don’t know, you will learn by doing)
Tools – what you use to accomplish what you know how to do
Techniques – they way you utilize what you use to accomplish what needs to be accomplished
Explain Stakeholders and ask for examples of stakeholders to this grant or proposal.
Take the time to list some stakeholders that will be affected by your grant
Allow a few volunteers to tell their answers.
Internal school
Students
Parents
Community
Accrediting Board
Funding Agency
Tribal Government
In order for you to manage the project you must effectively manage the triple constraints
Scope (performance) refers to the necessary work to be performed in order to produce the desired project results
Time is defined as the duration of time it will take to complete the defined scope of the project
Resources include the money and effort expended on people (labor), services and products
At least 50% of your time should be spent on planning.
SCOPE
Includes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.
For the scope you should identify the need addressed in the RFP and Develop a concept and abstract.
The written scope statement identifies both the project deliverables and project objectives.
Provides a basis for confirming or developing common understanding of project scope among the stakeholders.
Your abstract can serve as your scope statement. This should be the document that discusses the work that you will address and will be approved by your institutional representative.
Major components
Cost Centers – Major components of a project (Can be divisions, departments, or positions of individuals chosen to work on proposal)
Work packages – verb noun phrases (researching similar curriculum, purchasing equipment, bidding for contractors)
can be realistically and confidently estimated;
makes no sense practically to break down any further;
produces a deliverable which is measurable;
No task should exceed 80 hours
And should not be shorter than 4 hours.
Top Down Budgeting – allocated at the cost centers
Bottom Up Budgeting – is estimated at the work packages and rolled up to the cost centers
Lets walk through a sample WBS as it pertains to developing a proposal:
What are the major components (cost centers) for this proposals (project)?
What are the major activities (work packages) under each cost center?
There are risk present in every project, the goal is to minimize them.
Invite the group to identify some risk that are present.
Example:
ND late snow season.
Spring, Fall and Summer Break
SCHEDULING - The task of planning timetables and the establishment of dates during which resources such as equipment and personnel, will perform the activities required to complete the project.
This worksheet can be assessed utilizing Microsoft Projects. The goal of this software is to display the timelines, priorities, duration, importance, etc. of each component of your project. The task are displayed in terms of predecessors.
Let’s spend a few minutes developing a brief timeline for proposal submission.
Take volunteers to talk out the process to determine length of time to accomplish task.
Participants will need an idea of components involved.
This worksheet can be assessed utilizing Microsoft Projects. The goal of this software is to display the timelines, priorities, duration, importance, etc. of each component of your project. The task are displayed in terms of predecessors.
This develops a schedule that can be viewed and understood by everyone.
Develop implementation plan
Develop evaluation plan
Develop budget
Write the proposal
Secure attachments
Submit Proposal
This means that problems encountered by the project team are openly presented. Problem identification on completed projects provides a method to discuss the issue in hopes of eliminating its occurrence in future IT endeavors. It is important, however, that the problem discussions do not merely point a finger away from the project team. Responsibility and ownership for problem areas are critical to developing useful recommendations for future processes.
“Compensation is what you give people for doing the job they were hired to do. Recognition, on the other hand, celebrates an effort beyond the call of duty.”
Go out to lunch or dinner as a team
At least 50% of your time should be spent on planning.
Let’s spend a few minutes developing a brief timeline for proposal submission.
Take volunteers to talk out the process to determine length of time to accomplish task.
Participants will need an idea of components involved.
