Federal Government Contracting - LIVE Q&A - Topic: Proposal Writing

J S C H A U S & A S S O C I A T E S - W A S H D C
H E L L O @ J E N N I F E R S C H A U S . C O M
G O V C O N - Q & A C A F E
2 N D F R I D AY O F E A C H M O N T H
1 2 P M – 1 . 3 0 P M [ E A S T E R N ]
C O N T E N T & L I V E Q & A F R O M G O V C O N E X P E R T S
R E C O R D I N G S AVA I L A B L E AT T H E S A M E R E G I S T R AT I O N L I N K
P P T S AVA I L A B L E AT S L I D E S H A R E . N E T

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F E
8 J A N U A RY: C Y B E R S E C U R I T Y / C M M C
1 2 F E B R U A RY: O TA – O T H E R T R A N S A C T I O N A U T H O R I T I E S
1 2 M A R C H : B I D P R O T E S T
1 9 A P R I L : T E A M I N G A G R E E M E N T S
1 4 M AY: S U B - C O N T R A C T I N G
11 J U N E : S A L E S A N D C A P T U R E

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
9 J U LY: P R O P O S A L W R I T I N G
1 3 A U G U S T: C O M P L I A N C E
1 0 S E P T E M B E R : O R A L P R E S E N TAT I O N S
8 O C TO B E R : S E T- A S I D E S
1 2 N O V E M B E R : P R I C I N G
1 0 D E C E M B E R : M & A

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
A B O U T O U R
C O N S U LT I N G S E RV I C E S F O R F E D E R A L C O N T R A C TO R S :
* M A R K E T A N A LY S I S
* P R O P O S A L W R I T I N G
* P R I C I N G
* C O M P L I A N C E / A D M I N I S T R AT I O N
* M A R K E T I N G & B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T / C A P T U R E
* G S A S C H E D U L E

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
A B O U T O U R
F E D G O V C O N T R A C TO R S N E W S L E T T E R :
* D I S T R I B U T E D M O N D AY S 11 A M E S T
* R E A C H E S 2 3 K + F E D E R A L C O N T R A C TO R S
* V O L U M E D I S C O U N T S
* A D D I T I O N A L D I S C O U N T S F O R M O N T H O F M AY
* C O N TA C T H E L L O @ J E N N I F E R S C H A U S . C O M F O R D E TA I L S

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
A B O U T O U R U P C O M I N G E V E N T S / W E B I N A R S
E V E RY W E D N E S D AY 1 2 P M E S T – D FA R S – D E F E N S E
C O N T R A C T I N G - C O M P L I M E N TA RY
A U G U S T 4 ( 11 A M ) – FA R PA RT 5 2 – R E P S & C E RT S :
H T T P S : / / R E G I S T E R . G O TO W E B I N A R . C O M / R E G I S T E R / 6 7 9 0 2 9 1
7 5 8 8 7 0 3 0 9 9 0 4
A U G U S T 11 ( 11 A M ) – D FA R S PA RT 2 5 2 – R E P S & C E RT S :
H T T P S : / / R E G I S T E R . G O TO W E B I N A R . C O M / R E G I S T E R / 1 8 4 2 3 5 3
0 9 4 4 3 6 4 9 9 4 7 2

 Full training calendar: virginiaptac.org & useful links
 Register for free counseling: https://virginiaptac.org/services/counseling/
 Your “one stop” shop for Government Contracting assistance
 Reach us at ptac@gmu.edu or 703-277-7750
This procurement technical assistance center is funded in part through a
cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency.

PROPRIETARY & CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 9
A proven partner you can trust.
40,000+
towers
~70,000
small cell nodes on
air or under contract
~80,000
route miles of fiber
> A unique and diverse network portfolio
> Support both DoD and civilian agencies in the Federal sector.
> Custom designed solutions based on your needs and specifications,
including routing & POE.
Contact us to learn more about
our solutions.
Peter O’Brien, Business Development
Manager – Fiber
Peter.Obrien@crowncastle.com
(646) 680-6270

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
J U LY 9 , 2 0 2 1
PROPOSAL WRITING

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
J U LY 9 , 2 0 2 1 – P R O P O S A L W R I T I N G
WELCOME & THANK YOU TO OUR
SPEAKERS

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
D E V O N H E W I T T
P R O T O R A E L AW, P L L C
D H E W I T T @ P R O T O R A E L AW. C O M
7 0 3 - 9 4 2 - 6 7 4 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
L I S A S H E A M U N D T
T H E P U L S E O F G O V E R N M E N T
C O N T R A C T I N G
L I S A . S . M U N D T @ P U L S E G O V C O N . C O M

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
A N ATA L I A M A C I K
L E I D O S
A N ATA L I A . M A C I K @ L E I D O S . C O M
5 7 1 - 3 2 8 - 8 2 5 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
D O N A L D S H A N N O N
T H E C O N T R A C T C O A C H
D O N @ C O N T R A C T - C O A C H . C O M
5 0 5 - 2 5 9 - 8 4 8 5

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
J U L Y 9 , 2 0 2 1 – P R O P O S A L W R I T I N G
Clarify ambiguous provisions or live with them later
• Patent v. latent ambiguity
What seems minor can be major
• Failing to follow instructions will prove fatal
Bait and Switch
• Availability of Key Personnel always considered a material requirement of a solicitation
• If an offeror has actual knowledge that a key person will not be able to perform the duties of
the key position, the company has a duty to inform the agency
• Notwithstanding the offeror’s honesty, agency can still eliminate offeror from the
competition, but it also can conduct discussion
Legal Considerations

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Legal Considerations cont.
Ostensible subcontractor rule
• Small business prime whose proposal demonstrates that small business prime will rely on
large business subcontractor’s personnel to perform “primary and vital duties” of prime
contract is ineligible for small business set-aside contract

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Legal Considerations cont.
Submission of a proposal to a federal agency = a statement to the Government the falsity of which
is subject to criminal prosecution
• Availability of Key Personnel
• Representations and Certifications
• Small Business Set-Asides
• Small Business Size and Status
• Contract v. Task Order
• Recertification responsibilities

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Develop Outline and Template(s)
An outline is a critical tool when it comes to proposal writing and development. An outline should be developed
by the Proposal Manager and agreed upon by committee prior to any real content development and writing.
The outline should not change after Pink Team.
An outline will:
➔ Help you organize the solicitation requirements
➔ Keep your writer focused
➔ Save time when checking for compliance

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
There are 3 main types of outlines to choose from:
1. Summary Outline
2. Compliance Outline/Matrix
3. Annotated Outline (Writing Template)
Outlines are driven by Section L, threaded by Section M, and informed
by Section C.
WHEN OUTLINING A SOLICITATION WE LIKE TO THINK OF IT LIKE A PAINT
-BY-NUMBERS EXERCISE…

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Proposal Writing & Compliance
To set a base line, it’s important to understand:
• Clear writing is simple, concise, easy to read language is easy for everyone to understand
• Compliant writing follows instructions and ensures your bid will be evaluated
• Responsive writing answers the RFx question(s) and develops your company’s deeper
connection with the reader

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Proposal Writing & Compliance cont.
Getting Started
• Never start from a blank page, use the RFx
• If you’re the proposal manager or the writer, an annotated outline is always your best friend
to ensure compliance
• At the same time, don’t just regurgitate the RFx language; think about how you will actually
achieve what’s being asked (who, what, when, where, why)
• Use your compliance reviewers; they may feel like enemies but are really your strongest ally
• Ask questions if you’re not sure, especially when working with SMEs
• A SME may understand the RFx language differently than a proposal writer or manager, ask
questions to verify and clarify

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Proposal Writing & Compliance cont.
Reviews
• Review, review, review
• Always review your content for compliance yourself, first
• Embrace compliance reviews and try to get them done more than one (or by more than one
reviewer depending on the complexity and or strategic value of the opportunity)
• Use the color review process and understand end goal
• Ask for earlier executive reviews and feedback if you find they’re coming in late

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Co Perspective
1. Make it easy for the evaluator to give you a maximum score
• Align your proposal and your solution to the solicitation – don’t try to sell me something that I didn’t ask
for… meet MY requirements not what you happen to have on the shelf.
• Answer the question(s) being asked directly, clearly and to the point.
• Define acronyms the first time they appear and include a list of abbreviations.
• Do Not ’filibuster’ – long wordy answers waste my time and put me to sleep.
• Make and use a compliance matrix that cross-references the solicitation requirements to your proposal
… if I can’t find your answer you won’t get credit.
• Write for your audience – avoid marketing gobbledygook and
technical jargon – unless you are writing for a specific audience that expects
it.

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Co Perspective
2. Be sure you are submitting a compliant proposal ... Sometimes winning simply means “NOT losing”
• Follow the instructions in Sections L & M of the solicitation
• Make sure you have included all attachments and additional information required by the solicitation
• Don’t send me on an Easter Egg hunt looking for information
• Use paragraph headings and titles to identify key information
• Write for understanding – leave your PhD vocabulary at the door and focus on
getting your point across.
• Submit in a timely manner – if you’re late then you’re pretty much done

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
Co Perspective
3. Details, Details, Details
• Make sure you do a thorough Quality check prior to submittal
• Editorial
• Compliance
• Administrative
• If possible, use a pricing tool to create cost or pricing data in preference to Excel
• Scrutinize every piece of art in the document to ensure it aligns with the proposal text … watch out
for marketing’s favorite infographic that only they understand.
4. I’m hungry … feed me meat and potatoes and ‘stick-to-your ribs’ food … not haute Cuisine

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
C A N A N A G E N C Y ’ S D I S Q U A L I F I C AT I O N O F A N O F F E R F O R A M I N O R P R O P O S A L
E R R O R B E G R O U N D S F O R A W I N N I N G P R O T E S T ?
7 0 3 - 9 4 2 - 6 7 4 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
H O W C A N I G E T M Y T E C H N I C A L S M E S T O W R I T E O U R P R O P O S A L S ?

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
W H AT ’ S T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N R E S P O N S I V E A N D C O M P L I A N T W R I T I N G ?
5 7 1 - 3 2 8 - 8 2 5 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
I F I W A N T E D T O D O O N E T H I N G T O I M P R O V E M Y P R O P O S A L S C O R E
W H AT W O U L D T H AT B E ?
5 0 5 - 2 5 9 - 8 4 8 5

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
W H AT P R O P O S A L M I S TA K E S C A U S E C O N T R A C T A WA R D E E S T O L O S E P R O T E S T S
A G A I N S T T H E C O N T R A C T A W A R D M O S T O F T E N ?
7 0 3 - 9 4 2 - 6 7 4 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
W H Y I S P R O P E R D E S K T O P P U B L I S H I N G A N I M P O R TA N T PA R T O F T H E P R O P O S A L
W R I T I N G P R O C E S S ?

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
H O W C A N A P O O R LY W R I T T E N P R O P O S A L I M PA C T C O M P L I A N C E ?
5 7 1 - 3 2 8 - 8 2 5 6

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
W H AT ’ S T H E O N E B I G M I S TA K E Y O U S E E C L I E N T S M A K E ?
5 0 5 - 2 5 9 - 8 4 8 5

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
NOW OPEN FOR AUDIENCE QUESTIONS

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
T H A N K Y O U F O R AT T E N D I N G
T H A N K Y O U T O O U R S P E A K E R S
P P T S A R E AVA I L A B L E O N S L I D E S H A R E . N E T

G O V C O N - Q & A C A F É - 2 0 2 1
A D D I T I O N A L Q U E S T I O N S F O R O U R S P E A K E R S
A N TA L I A M A C I K L I S A M U N D T
A N AT A L I A . M A C I K @ L E I D O S . C O M
2 0 2 - 8 1 7 - 9 2 6 7
D E V O N H E W I T T D O N A L D S H A N N O N
D H E W I T T @ P R O T O R A E L A W . C O M D O N @ C O N T R A C T -
C O A C H . C O M
7 0 3 - 9 4 2 - 6 7 4 6 5 0 5 - 2 5 9 - 8 4 8 5

G O V C O N
Q & A
C A F E
Hello@JenniferSchaus.com
Washington, DC
202-365-0598

Federal Government Contracting - LIVE Q&A - Topic: Proposal Writing

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Federal Government Contracting - LIVE Q&A - Topic: Proposal Writing

Similar to Federal Government Contracting - LIVE Q&A - Topic: Proposal Writing (20)

More from JSchaus & Associates

More from JSchaus & Associates (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Federal Government Contracting - LIVE Q&A - Topic: Proposal Writing