How to Write a Government Proposal For Large Federal Contracts

Mistakes Made By Large Businesses

 When deciding how to write a government proposal, large businesses are required to pass on work to smaller businesses. This need is usually set out in the solicitation by requiring a small business subcontracting plan.

Typically, large businesses may simply submit a subcontracting plan that does not identify specific subcontractors. In addition, large companies may only reach out to smaller businesses when there is an actual proposal response needed. This can be a problem when it comes to technical proposal evaluations.

Proactively Seeking Out Small Businesses is Important

When assessing your proposal writing efforts for federal government contracts, large business should develop long-term relationships and be able to highlight their success in the upcoming proposal. This goes directly to minimizing the government’s risk.

• Some government proposals ask for details about the length of the relationship;
• Bidders with no previous working relationship can be seen as a risk to the government.

The Effect of Small Business Teaming When Writing Proposals

In full and open RFP’s large businesses are losing to smaller companies because the small prime contractor submits teaming partners that may be large. By avoiding mistakes made under the Ostensible Subcontractor Rule, competition has become more fierce.

By adjusting these small nuances, large businesses can maintain, or even increase their technical proposal score  by demonstrating less risk to the government.

• Both large and small government contractors can benefit from developing long-term relationships.

Avoiding Costly Mistakes When Writing Government Proposals

Increase subcontracting percentages: When making adjustments in how to write a government contract proposal, large businesses want to also make sure that they offer more than just the minimum subcontracting plan requirements.

• Source selection boards can give strengths for exceeding the solicitation requirements.
• Proposing a larger percentage of subcontracting work to small businesses can increase strengths in technical proposals.
• Articulating your success with a particular subcontractor can also reduce performance risk to the government.

Keeping Low Percentages in Proposals is not Favorable to the Government: When planning how to a write a government proposal, many large businesses only submit the bare minimum subcontracting requirements simply because it means more revenues. However, they should also balance the overall reason for the pass through rule – it promotes the idea of providing more tax revenues to congress. Almost similar to joint ventures and SBA mentor protégé programs, large businesses should show good faith when making adjustments to subcontracting plan requirements.

How to Write a Proposal That Solves the Agency’s Problem

Deciding a how to write a government proposal is all about solving the government’s problem. Nothing else matters! When a contracting officer reviews the RFP response, this is exactly what they look for.

• Focus on solving the agency problem when writing Government proposals
• Tell them how you will do it
• Include risk mitigation solutions
• Never try to make overwhelming profit margins

Even larger businesses are losing out on winning bids because they do not provide enough detail in their technical proposals. Agencies evaluate bids using tougher and more competitive standards. 

• Highlight key personnel and their experience;
• Map small contractors to the PWS requirements
• Identify problems and show how you will resolve them.
• Avoid mistakes when hiring incumbent employees.

See the Level of Proposal Writing Services We Offer

If you are a medium or large business seeking improve upon your proposal writing for government contacts, call Watson & Associates, LLC at 1-866-601-5518.