Formal proposals are often requested by companies planning to outsource projects. A formal proposal must include a lot of essential information, such as project goals, budget, cost analysis, timing, and your qualifications for the job. Use the following tips to draft a formal proposal.
Steps
Step 1. Create a cover
The cover serves to let the prospect know who you are and what the purpose of your proposal is. Include your name, company name and logo, contact information, and the title of the proposal. The title can be simple and refer directly to the request for proposal, or it can be used to indicate more information about what your company's plans are to meet the proposal's objectives.
Step 2. Write an introduction for your formal proposal
The introduction should include basic business information and qualifications, and a summary outlining your understanding of the client's needs.
- Write about your company's mission, objectives, history, background and current role in its specific sector. Basic qualifications and experience must be highlighted.
- Create a summary that lets the client know that you fully understand the purpose of the project and any issues that may arise later. This summary should be short and to the point.
Step 3. Address the purpose of the proposal
Discuss the parameters of the project, as described by the client in a section that focuses on the purpose of the proposal. Briefly discuss the method to use to meet the needs of the project.
Step 4. Describe your solution
Explain in detail the method you propose to approach the project and how to implement your plans.
- Write a detailed description of all the steps and activities required in order to implement your solution. Inform the customer because the solution you propose is the correct one by providing potential scenarios and statistical projections.
- Outline the timeline for project implementation from start to finish. Describe the timing in text or graphic format.
- Inform the customer if you will use other people or companies to provide the services necessary for the realization of the project. Include their basic qualifications.
- Establish a budget and analyze the costs of the project. Customers want to know how their money will be spent.
Step 5. Provide a list of your qualifications and experience
Include a resume or describe your experiences relevant to specific project activities. List other projects in which you have worked or contributed, similar in scope to the proposed project.
Step 6. Include attachments
Include numerous additional documents as attachments if needed to prove your qualifications and improve your proposal. For example, charts are useful for illustrating statistics and factual data. Profiles from other similar projects are often used in proposals.
Step 7. Prepare a table of contents
After completing the proposal, enter the page numbers for the corresponding sections of the proposal, including the introduction, the key points of the proposal, the project plans and other parts that describe different aspects of the proposal.
Advice
- Your proposal must be typed on the computer, printed in color and bound for presentation. Most office supply stores can make binding for a very low cost.
- Formal proposals are typically 25-50 pages long.
