Blue Print for creating a Winning Proposal

“When you are an individual contributor, you try to have all the answers. That’s your job—to be an expert, the best at what you do, maybe even the smartest person in the room. When you are a leader, your job is to have all the questions. You have to be incredibly comfortable looking like the dumbest person in the room. Every conversation you have about a decision, a proposal, or a piece of market information has to be filled with you saying, “What if?” and “Why not?” and “How come?”
― Jack Welch, Winning

Creating a proposal involves several key steps to ensure that all customer requirements are understood and documented clearly. Here is a detailed outline of the process:

The first step in creating a proposal is to understand the customer's requirements. This involves identifying the customer's needs and expectations, and documenting them clearly. It's important to gather all necessary information from the customer and ensure that there is a clear understanding of what they are looking for. Once the requirements are documented, the next step is to define the scope of the project. This includes developing a scope statement that outlines the project's objectives, deliverables, and boundaries, and ensuring that the scope does not expand without proper approval and documentation.

The second step is to baseline the existing system. This involves conducting a thorough analysis of the existing system to understand its capabilities and limitations, and identifying the gaps between the existing system and the proposed solution. Once the existing system is understood, the next step is to list all the deliverables and outline the approach to be used for executing the project, including any methodologies or tools. It's important to define the review process and establish clear acceptance criteria for each deliverable to ensure that they meet the customer's requirements.

The final step in creating a proposal is to define the responsibilities and assumptions, estimate the schedule and commercial details, and outline the terms and conditions. This involves clearly defining the responsibilities of each participant, including roles and responsibilities, and documenting all assumptions made during the proposal. It's also important to provide an estimated schedule for the project, including milestones and timelines, and include any commercial details such as pricing, payment terms, and any other financial aspects. Finally, the terms and conditions of the project should be outlined, including any legal or contractual obligations.

Creating a proposal involves understanding and documenting customer requirements, defining the project scope, baselining the existing system, listing deliverables, and outlining responsibilities, schedule, commercial details, and terms and conditions. This ensures clear communication, proper planning, and alignment with customer expectations.