We are frequently asked:  Why do companies outsource their proposal support? There are many possible reasons why a company will outsource proposal support; the following are just a few.

The proposal effort requires someone with experience:

·     Managing a large team or RFP. Many times an internal proposal manager will have competing demands on his/her time. An outsourced proposal manager dedicated to a particular opportunity can provide the focus required to ensure problems do not occur.

 

·     Managing a diverse team of companies. For example – one client hired us to manage a large RFP that required them to partner with five other companies. None of the companies had managed such a large opportunity on their own and it was the first time they had worked together. By bringing us in – they had an independent manager to keep the effort on track.

 

·     Working with a particular agency or type of service. For some opportunities, having a proposal manager who knows the client or service provided can be a discriminator. This is especially important in the capture and pre-RFP phase where the manager can assist with developing the relationship with the government client.

 

·     Preparing a proposal that is at a dollar level steps beyond what has been won in the past. For example – one of our clients routinely submitted proposals valued at    $ 1 million. When they were ready to pursue a $ 12 million opportunity, they brought us in to help.

 

·     Determining ideas/opportunities that might be overlooked. This includes helping to determine discriminators, weaknesses and strengths. Whenever we work with a client – we provide this as a value-added services as part of our regular proposal support.

 

Two additional reasons for outsourcing are:

 

·     To cover surge demands. For example, perhaps typically you can handle three proposals in house at any one time – but five opportunities are open with close due dates. Since most procurements are multi-year purchases, missing the opportunity means waiting for 3- 8 years depending on the procurement cycle for that particular opportunity.

 

·     To provide an outside voice. Many times, this is critical in assessing opportunities and developing the win strategy. An outside source can point out discriminators, strengths, weaknesses, and potential problems that the internal team may not see. They can bring a fresh view and help to develop mitigation strategies.

 Think of Comprehensive Proposal Services when you are ready to bring in outside support!