Reference no: EM133457946

Components of Informal Proposals

Informal proposals are often presented in letter format (or sometimes in a form, e.g., in a grant application). These "letter" proposals contain six parts, as shown in the writing plan: introduction, background, proposal or plea, staffing, budget, and authorization request. The informal proposal shown in Figure 9.1 illustrates these six pans. in the context of a proposal addressed to a Calgary dentist who wants to improve patient satisfaction.

Writing Plan for an Informal Proposal

• Opening: Begin with an introduction that summarizes reasons for the proposal and your qualifications. Include a background section that shows you understand why the good or service is needed.

• Body: In this part of the proposal, include your plan or solution, information about staffing and relevant experience, and your budget.

• Pleasant closing: The proposal closes with a brief conclusion and a subtle request for authorization to go ahead with providing the good or service.

Introduction

The introduction states the reasons for the proposal and highlights the writer's qualifications. To grab attention and be persuasive, the introduction contains a hook. such as:
• Hinting at extraordinary results with details to be revealed shortly
• Promising low costs or speedy results
• Mentioning a remarkable resource (well-known authority, new software, well-trained staff) available exclusively to you
• Identifying a serious problem (worry item) and promising a solution, to be explained later
• Specifying a key issue or benefit that you feel is the heart of the proposal

For example. in the proposal shown in Figure 9.1. writer Alex Parsons confidently focuses on a key benefit. She guesses that the potential client. Dr. Atala. will be most interested in receiving a concrete plan for making changes based on her patients' opinions. If this were a more complex (formal) proposal, the introduction would also describe the scope and limitations of the project.

Background
The background section identifies the problem and discusses the goals or purposes of the project. The background is also the place to go over some recent history. In other words, briefly summarize what circumstances led to you writing the proposal, whether solicited or unsolicited. For example, in Figure 9.1, the "history" of the situation is alluded to in the sentence Fire know that you have been incorporating a total quality management system in your practice.

In a proposal, your aim is to convince the reader that you understand the need completely. Thus, if you are responding to an RFP, this means repeating its language. For example, if the RFP asks for the design of a maintenance program for high-speed mail-sorting equipment, you would use the same language in explaining the purpose of your proposal. This section might include segments entitled Basic Requirements, Most Critical Tasks, and Most Important Secondaiy Problems.

Plan
In the plan section, you discuss your solution to the problem or need. In some proposals this is tricky: you want to disclose enough of your plan to secure the contract without giving away so much information that your services aren't needed. Without specifics about implementation, though, your proposal has little chance, so you must decide how much to reveal. Explain what you propose to do and how it will benefit the reader.

Remember, too, that a proposal is a sales presentation or value proposition. Sell your methods, product, and deliverables-items that will be left with the client. In this section some writers specify how the project will be managed, how its progress will be audited, and what milestones along the way will indicate the project is progressing as planned. Most writers also include a schedule or timeline showing when key events take place.

Staffing
The staffing section describes the credentials and expertise of the project leaders and the company as a whole. A well-written staffing section describes the capabilities of the whole company. Although the example in Figure 9.1 doesn't do so, staffing sections often list other high-profile jobs that have been undertaken by the company as a way of building interest and reducing resistance. For example, before she mentioned Dr. Chu and Mr. Gamli, Parsons could have said, Among owwell-known past clients are Husky Energy and the Calgary Board of Education.

The staffmg section can also identify the size and qualifications of the support staff, along with other resources such as software and other analytical capabilities. In longer proposals, résumés of key people may be provided. The staffing section is a good place to endorse and promote your staff.

Budget
The most important item in proposals is the budget. You need to prepare this section carefully because it represents a contract; you can't raise the price later-even if your costs increase. You can-and should-protect yourself with a deadline for acceptance. In the budget section some writers itemize hours and costs; others present a total sum only. A proposal to install a complex IT system might, for example, contain a detailed line-by-line budget.

In the proposal shown in Figure 9.1, Parsons felt that she needed to justify the budget for her fffm's patient-satisfaction survey, so she itemized the costs. But the budget included for a proposal to conduct a one-day seminar to improve employee communication skills might be a lump sum only. Your analysis of the project and your audience will help you decide what kind of budget to prepare.

The Report Writing Process

Writing a formal report takes time. It requires planning, research, and organization. Because this is a complex process, writers are most successful when they follow specific steps, as outlined in the following sections.
Determine the Purpose and Scope of the Report

Formal reports begin with a purpose statement. These statements are helpful in defining the focus of the report and providing a standard that keeps the project on target. Notice the use of action words (adding, writing, and establishing):

Simple purpose statement: To reconauend adding three positions to our sales team, writing a job description for the sales team leader, and establishing recruitment guidelines for sales team hiring.

You can determine the scope of a report by defining and limiting the problem or problems that will be researched and analyzed. Consider these questions: How much time do you have to complete the report? How accessible is the data you need? If interviews or surveys are appropriate, how many people should you contact, and what questions should you ask?

Anticipate the Needs of the Audience
Keep in mind that the audience may or may not be familiar with the topic. Your goal is to present key findings that are relevant to your audience. If you were reporting to a targeted audience of human resources managers, the following facts gathered from an employee survey would be considered relevant: According to the company survey completed by 425 of our 515 employees, 72 percent of employees are currently happy with their health benefits package.

A work plan guides the investigation. It should include a clear problem statement, a purpose statement, and a description of the research methods to be used. A good work plan also involves a tentative outline of the report's major sections and a logical work schedule for completion of major tasks.

Conduct Research Using Primary and Secondary Sources

Formal report writers conduct their research using secondcny sozares-information that has been previously published in books, articles, websites, podcasts, and annual reports for example. Writers may also conduct their research using primary sources-information and data gathered from firsthand experience. Interviews, observations, surveys, and focus groups are examples of primary research. Research methods are discussed in the section "Researching Report Data" later in this chapter.

Organize, Analyze, and Draw Conclusions
Formal report writers organize their information logically (see the organization strategies in Figure 9.2) and base their recommendations on solid facts to impress decision makers. All findings and analysis need to be relevant to the report's original purpose.