Proposal: Guidelines and Samples

I hope these proposal checklist helps you in writing your proposal.

• Obtain copy of RFP to make sure that your proposal adheres with the guidelines and rules.

• State your idea clearly and concisely in writing.

• Your proposal should be timely, significant, innovative and unique.

• Cite alternative approaches and justified why your idea is the best.

• Review literature carefully.

• Identify your skills and partner’s skills.

• Use graphs, tables, figures and visual materials.

• Don’t forget to include the schedule of activities.

• Include proposal costing

• Get specialist or expert knowledge, if necessary.

• Number the pages of your proposal.

• Let someone proofread your proposal for further evaluation and correction.

• Attach necessary supporting documents.

The study aims to develop wireless operation of lighting and home appliances through the computer system and the SMS.

The proposed study has the following objectives:

• - to develop a system that would help the user to monitor their home lights and appliances
• - to develop software that would automatically switch ON/OFF lights and appliances
• - to develop software that would provide adequate switching capabilities
• - to design a system that would provide security and convenience
• - to develop a system that would automatically shut off the computer system through SMS.

A feasibility study is a document written to show the justification of a proposed policy, product, service, or other charges in an organization. Prompted by ideas suggested in a proposal, it examines details such as costs, alternative and likely effects.

A feasibility study can be in-house (for decision makers in an organization) or external (requested by clients from outside the organization)

Characteristics of a Feasibility Study

1. A feasibility study is always solicited.
2. It always assumes one of these two patterns of organization:
a. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of one course of action, product or idea.
b. A comparison of two or more courses of action, product or idea.
3. It is always intended to help managers and other decision makers vote for or against an idea or select many other alternatives.
4. It usually helps the reader to make a decision.
5. It is often preceded by a proposal.
6. It saves capital, time and effort.

Kinds of Proposals

1. Technical Proposal – solves a technical problem.
2. Management Proposal – explains the client how the entire project will be managed, tells who will manage it, and suggests a time schedule for the completion of the project.
3. Cost Proposal – gives a detailed breakdown of the cost in terms of labor and materials.

Classification of Proposal

1. Solicited Proposal - requested by a client or a customer, invitation to bid ( bid request, purchase request or request for proposals)

a) Government Agency – Invitation to bid – the agency gives the exact specifications for the product or service it is seeking.

b) Request for Proposal (RFP) indicates that it has a problem for which it would like the bidder to propose a solution or solutions.

2. Unsolicited Proposal - submitted without a request

It is prepared by a company in the hope that the excellence of the idea or plan proposed will persuade the potential client of the need.

What is Proposal?

• Attempts to sell an idea, concept, an equipment, a complex system, a service or anything else.
• Can be used as sales tool
• Define a problem and means to solve it.
• Designed to convince a client that the company or organization handling the proposal is better qualified to supply a desired product or services than are all the other companies submitting proposals.
• It is a brief or a very short report written by a single author or a team of writers. It is factual, objective, logical and clear. It precedes the feasibility study.