How to Turn Good Government Proposals Into Great Ones

Most contractors think better proposals come from better writing. 

I disagree.

Good writing certainly helps, but once you've learned the fundamentals of proposal writing, the biggest difference between average proposals and winning proposals has very little to do with writing itself.

It comes down to strategy.

The best proposals don't simply describe what the contractor will do. They convince the government that this contractor is the safest and smartest choice to solve their problem.

Here are some of the questions I get most often about taking proposals from good to great.

What's the difference between a good proposal and a great proposal?

Once you've learned how to write proposals correctly—following instructions, answering the requirements, and crossing your T's and dotting your I's—the next level isn't about becoming a better writer.

It's about delivering a better solution.

The strongest proposals come from contractors who think beyond the Statement of Work.

They ask themselves:

"How can we perform this requirement better than everyone else?"

Maybe it's a more efficient process.

Maybe it's better communication.

Maybe it's a stronger quality control plan.

Maybe it's additional preventative measures that reduce disruptions.

Whatever it is, that better solution becomes what you write about.

A proposal can only dress up a mediocre solution so much.

The better your approach, the easier it becomes to write a compelling proposal.

What's something most contractors get wrong when writing proposals?

One word.

Parroting.

I see it constantly.

The Statement of Work says, "The contractor shall inspect equipment weekly."

Then the proposal responds:

"We will inspect equipment weekly."

That doesn't tell the government anything they don't already know.

I call this speaking to the HOW.

Don't tell them that you'll perform the work.

Explain how you'll perform it.

Think about hiring someone to replace the roof on your house.

Would you rather hear someone say, "We'll install a new roof," or would you rather hear them explain how they'll protect your landscaping, remove the old materials, inspect the decking, install the underlayment, manage weather delays, and clean up afterward?

The second contractor immediately creates confidence.

Government proposals work exactly the same way.

How can experienced contractors take their proposals to the next level?

One of the easiest ways is by communicating risk.

Don't just explain your solution.

Explain what could go wrong and how you'll prevent it.

Walk the government through your contingency plans.

Talk about staffing backups.

Equipment failures.

Schedule delays.

Quality control.

Communication procedures.

When you proactively address risk, you demonstrate confidence.

You're showing the government that you've already thought through the difficult situations before they happen.

If your competitors simply describe the work while you're describing how you'll manage problems before they occur, you've immediately positioned yourself as the safer choice.

In many cases, you want the government to become uncomfortable with the idea of awarding the contract to someone else because they haven't addressed those same risks.

What's one low-effort improvement that produces a huge return?

Formatting.

Great proposal writers understand that proposals aren't just written.

They're designed.

A contracting officer may have several proposals to evaluate in a short amount of time.

If they have to hunt for answers, you've already made their job harder.

Strong formatting almost allows the proposal to read itself.

Clear headings.

Logical organization.

Consistent spacing.

Bullets where appropriate.

White space that improves readability.

A professional proposal guides the evaluator naturally from one section to the next.

An amateur proposal forces them to search.

The easier you make the evaluation, the stronger your proposal becomes.

What's one rule you always follow before writing a proposal?

Never start with a blank page.

I say this all the time.

Before you write a single sentence, build your outline.

Identify every major section.

Put them in the order they'll appear.

Even if each section only contains a few notes, you've already created the roadmap.

Now you're no longer trying to write an entire proposal.

You're simply filling in one section at a time.

Once you learn how to build a strong outline, proposal writing becomes dramatically easier.

If you haven't built the outline, you're probably not ready to start writing.

One final piece of encouragement

If you're getting ready to submit your next proposal, here's something I hope encourages you.

Many government opportunities only receive two or three offers.

There isn't always a field of twenty experienced contractors competing against you.

And remember this.

A lot of the small businesses you're competing against are newer to government contracting too.

They're making many of the same mistakes you're trying to avoid.

If you consistently improve your proposal writing, your formatting, your strategy, and the way you communicate your solution, you can separate yourself surprisingly quickly.

Sometimes the hardest part is simply clicking Submit.

You never know what the government is going to like about your proposal.

Maybe it's your technical approach.

Maybe it's your pricing.

Maybe it's your experience.

Maybe they simply believe you're the contractor who gives them the most confidence.

You'll never know if you don't give yourself the opportunity.

Final Thoughts

Great proposals aren't created by using bigger words or writing more pages.

They're created by offering a better solution, communicating confidence, making the evaluator's job easy, and reducing the government's perceived risk.

Master those skills, and your proposals won't just be compliant.

They'll become memorable.

About Derek James

Derek James is the founder of GovKidMethod. By age 30, he had won 32 federal contracts worth more than $15 million. Since then, he's helped small businesses win more than $75 million in government contracts by teaching practical proposal writing, positioning, and bidding strategies that contractors can actually apply.

Ready to Go Further?

Reading about government contracting is one thing. Knowing exactly how to write winning proposals is another.

That's why I've made the first modules of my GovRFP Proposal Writing System available for free. They'll walk you through the foundation every contractor should understand before submitting bids.

Access the free GovRFP Proposal Writing System here:
www.govkidmethod.com/govrfp