Successful Proposal Strategies For Small Businesses: Using Knowledge Management To Win Government, Private-Sector, And International Contracts

594 Pages·2005·4.004 MB·English

by  Robert S. Frey

Successful Proposal
Strategies for Small
Businesses
Using Knowledge Management to Win
Government, Private-Sector, and
International Contracts
Fourth Edition
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SuccessfulProposalStrategiesforSmallBusinesses:UsingKnowl-
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Successful Proposal
Strategies for Small
Businesses
Using Knowledge Management to Win
Government, Private-Sector, and
International Contracts
Fourth Edition
Robert S. Frey
artechhouse.com
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Frey,RobertS.
Successfulproposalstrategiesforsmallbusinesses:usingknowledge
managementtowingovernment,private-sector,andinternational
contracts/RobertS.Frey—4thed.(ArtechHousetechnology
managementandprofessionaldevelopmentlibrary)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN1-58053-957-2
1.Proposalwritingforgrants—UnitedStates. 2.Small
business—UnitedStates—Finance.
I.Title. II.Series.
HG177.5.U6F742005
658.8’04—dc22 2004062876
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
Frey,RobertS.
Successfulproposalstrategiesforsmallbusinesses:usingknowledge
managementtowingovernment,private-sector,andinternational
contracts.—4thed.(ArtechHousetechnologymanagementand
professionaldevelopmentlibrary)
1.Proposalwritingforgrants—UnitedStates 2.Small
business—UnitedStates—Finance
I. Title
658.8’04
ISBN1-58053-957-2
CoverdesignbyIgorValdman
©2005ARTECHHOUSE,INC.
685CantonStreet
Norwood,MA02062
Allrightsreserved.PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,
electronicormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinforma-
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Alltermsmentionedinthisbookthatareknowntobetrademarksorservice
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accuracyofthisinformation.Useofaterminthisbookshouldnotberegardedas
affectingthevalidityofanytrademarkorservicemark.
InternationalStandardBookNumber:1-58053-957-2
10987654321
For
myfriendandfellowteacher,Dr.TerryC.Tarbell,
anoutstandingbusinessdeveloperwhoseestheeffortthroughfromtarget
identificationandqualification,capturemanagementandproposaldevelopment,
andoralpresentationtocontractaward.
Andinmemoryof
JonathanL.Friedman
mycolleagueandfriendwhodiedonSaturday,April24,2004.
Withloveandrespectforthedignitythathebroughttolife.
.
Contents
Acknowledgments xiii 1.5 SBIRandSTTRprograms 13
1.6 Organizingyourcompanytoacquire
Introduction xv
newbusiness 16
1.7 Effectivestrategicandmission
Chapter 1
planning 22
Competitive proposals and small
1.8 Convertingknowledgeintoproposal
business 1
success 24
1.1 Overview 3 1.8.1 KMbenefitsproposaldevelopment 30
1.2 Fromset-asidestofull-and-open 1.8.2 Internalandexternalclients: lookingat
competition 7 clientsinawholenewway 32
1.3 Smallbusinessconstraints 11 Endnotes 37
1.4 Maximizingsmallbusiness
strengths 11
vii
SuccessfulProposalStrategiesforSmallBusinesses
Chapter 2 3.13 Ethicsinmarketingandbusiness
development 87
Strategic partnering and subcontracting
3.14 Advertising,tradeshows,and
opportunities 43
high-impactpublicrelations 89
2.1 Subcontractingopportunitiesand
Endnotes 95
pathwaystosuccess 44
2.2 Criticalsuccessfactors 45
Chapter 4
2.3 Specificstrategiesforachieving
Requests for proposals 97
subcontracts 46
4.1 Overview 97
2.4 Becomingpartofagovernmentwide
4.2 PartI—theschedule 100
acquisitioncontract(GWAC)team 51
4.3 PartII—contractclauses 100
2.5 Howmentor-protégéprogramscanhelp
yourbusiness 54 4.4 PartIII—listofdocuments,exhibits,
andotherattachments 101
Endnotes 57
4.5 PartIV—representationsand
Chapter 3 certifications 101
Marketing to and with your clients 59 4.6 TheimportanceofSectionL
(instructionstoofferors) 101
3.1 Morethanjustselling 59
4.7 SectionM(evaluationcriteria):toward
3.2 Transactionsarepersonal—peoplebuy
maximizingyourscore 104
frompeople 65
4.8 Greatestorbest-valueapproach 104
3.3 Listentoyourclient 66
4.9 Emphasisonperformance-based
3.4 Infusemarketingintelligenceinto
acquisition(PBA) 105
yourproposal 66
4.10 Influencingthecontentofan
3.5 Intelligencegatheringandanalysis
RFP—legitimately 107
techniques 68
4.11 Othertypesofsolicitation
3.6 Callplans 72
documents 109
3.7 Maintainmanagementvisibilityonyour
Endnotes 110
contracts 78
3.8 Projectmanagersasclientmanagers 81
Chapter 5
3.9 Commercialoff-the-shelf
Private-sector solicitation requests 111
acquisition 83
5.1 Grantproposals—winningwhatyou
3.10 Pursuingfirm-fixed-priceand
bid 114
invitation-for-bidopportunities 84
5.1.1 Lettersofinquiry 115
3.11 Usingtherequestforinformationand
5.1.2 Balancingthetechnicalandthe
therequestforcommentasvaluablemarketing
nontechnical 116
tools 85
5.1.3 Standardgrantproposal
3.12 StandardForm129sandcontractor
components 116
prequalificationstatements 86
5.2 Nongovernmentalorganizations
(NGOs) 117
viii