The RFP Template - Writing Proposals That Win Bids

Many businesses and organizations use a request-for-proposal (RFP) format to receive bids for work or goods that they wish to purchase. By using this proven RFP template below, you can become more successful at proposal writing and win more bids.

Because RFP writing can be challenging and time-consuming, many businesses either don't participate in the bid process or they don't write bids that win. Proposal writing is a combination of science and art: you need to follow guidelines or a template (the science) and you need to write a compelling and persuasive bid (the art).

First, recognize that there are a number of different methods used for bids or tenders: request for expressions of interest (RFEIP), request for proposal (RFP), request for qualification (RFQ), request for information (RFI), and request for technical specifications (RFTS). These requests are typically used by all levels of government; hospitals; schools, universities and colleges; and a number of organizations (typically larger organizations such as banking institutions, utility companies, and so on). Often the value of the 'buy' dictates whether or not the request for proposal or bid process will be used (for example, no one is putting out a request for proposal for a roll of toilet paper, but if the request is to supply the whole hospital with toilet paper, it is likely to be purchased through the RFP process).

The RFP Template - Writing Proposals That Win Bids

Then, before you begin writing your response to the RFP, review the request for proposal and ensure that you want to bid for it; I've known clients that have got all the way to the end of proposal writing and then decided the RFP wasn't a good fit for them or that the bid was too big, too small, not right. Develop your own bid or no-bid criteria and assess each RFP or other requests (RFEIP, RFQ, RFI, RFTS) before you begin the work of writing proposals.

This RFP template provides an outline of how to write a proposal: (Note: this is for a common type of RFP; there are many variations)

The typical bid package or documents will include:
A project or goods overview or summary, including specifications, quantity, time frame and/or other details required for the proposal; A due date for the bid and for the work to be done or the goods delivered; If applicable, the vendors meeting schedule (usually provided if the specifications are complex and need to be discussed); Buyer's contact name, phone number, address and/or email address for delivery of the bid; Attachments as necessary: which often include payment terms and conditions, legal and insurance requirements, other related information; The package will also include management and technical requirements and expectations for the bid; The bid documents should also include a contact if questions are allowed (recognize that most times, questions and answers are posted for all respondents to see - be careful what you 'give away' to your competitors in your questions).

Your proposal needs to include:
Your Qualifications: Consider whether you have the necessary qualifications and experience for the proposal; if not, consider an alliance or partnership with another vendor or consider subcontracting parts of the bid. Make sure that with either scenario (partnership or subcontracting) that you control the service and the product: your reputation is on the line. In your qualifications, make sure you include a description of who will be working on the project and why your company is uniquely qualified to deliver the product. Provide individual or corporate resumes and biographies if appropriate and necessary. Your References: References should answer the question; Why should you get this bid? What is better and/or unique about your service and/or product - compared to your competition? Your references need to be carefully selected and you must contact those people you use as a reference in advance to ensure that they are willing to be your reference (I recommend asking for a reference (written if possible, plus contact information) well ahead of the need for one). Read the bid requirements carefully; some bids will limit the number and type of references you can provide. Try to use references for similar types of bids; if you do not have any, then ensure that you write the connection between your experience and the work you're bidding on (that is, what are transferable skills from your experiences). Your Solution: In this section, present your unique solution; the one that differentiates your proposal from others. Also, define your understanding of their request and how you plan to address their needs. Your service or product positioning must be clearly written. Make sure that your solution indicates to the buyer that you understand their problem, their market and that you can deliver the best solution. Your Price or Fee: Consider pricing strategies that are specific to your bid. The lowest price is not the one that wins - all the time. If you need to buy materials as soon as you are awarded the contract, write your bid to include progressive payments. You might want to show what the price includes, for example, 5 days on market survey design and launch; 5 days on survey tabulation and focus groups, etc. Your payment terms must be clearly identified and easy to understand (and not in conflict with any terms in the request for proposal). Build a cancellation clause into your bid: for acts above and beyond your control (earthquake, floods, fire, etc.) - have a lawyer review your clause and then use that as a standard clause on each proposal that you write. Build a price escalation clause for long term projects; you might want to tie the price escalation clause to inflation or to your projected cost increases. There are always administrative details to review; make sure you take the time to read them carefully and if you do not agree or cannot comply, then address the issue in your bid. Do not leave any sections or questions unanswered in your bid: you will score zero on that answer in the evaluation process (which usually 'marks' the answers in each section).

Once the bid or tender is awarded, and if you were not the winner, ask for a debrief or review: you want to find out why you didn't win the bid and you want to apply the lessons learned in the debrief on your next bid. Learning how to write an RFP, specifically how to write winning bids, becomes easier the more bids that you write. Once you've developed this RFP template into your own template for your business, you will find that writing proposals is faster, more effective and more successful. The goal is to write winning proposals.

The RFP Template - Writing Proposals That Win Bids
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Not all sales come from RFPs, learn how to Improve Your Proposal Writing Skills with more proposal writing tips and techniques focused on the selling process.

Kris Bovay is the owner of Voice Marketing Inc., the business and marketing services company and owner of the small business resource website, http://www.more-for-small-business.com

Kris has more than 25 years experience in successfully managing and leading large, medium and small businesses; businesses that she has worked with have grown by more than 30% in sales in the first two years. Use Kris' experience to help you manage and lead your business. Copyright 2008 Voice Marketing Inc.

What is SEO Article Writing? - SEO Copywriting Explained

Many freelancers have questions about what is SEO; what is SEO copywriting; what is SEO writing. This article explains - in detail - what this is. And, how to make money from it as a freelance writer.

What is SEO?

SEO is an acronym for the phrase "search engine optimization." Search engine optimization is all about doing specific things to your website to drive more traffic to it so that you can increase online sales - and traffic.

What is SEO Article Writing? - SEO Copywriting Explained

What are some of these "things?"

There are many, but here we will discuss what it is as it applies to freelance writers. And, this means writing text in a certain way so that web surfers (ie, internet users) can land on a particular site.

What is SEO As It Relates to Freelance Writers?

What freelance writers need to be concerned with is keywords. What are keywords? Keywords are the words and phrases that web surfers type in when they search for things online.

For example, let's say you were interested in starting a foreclosure cleanup business. You may not know anything about it other than foreclosures are hot in the news right now and you are interested in starting this kind of company.

So, you log onto your favorite search engine, (eg, Google, Yahoo! MSN, etc.) and type in the keywords "foreclosure cleaning business" or "foreclosure cleaning" or "foreclosure cleanup" or some other relevant keyword phrase.

Note: When you type words into a search engine to find something on the internet, the words you type in are called a keyword (one word) or a keyword phrase (two or more words with commas in between).

How Businesses Get to the Top of Search Engine Results

When you type in these words and hit "ENTER", a bunch of sites pop up and you start to surf (ie, click on the results) and start investigating the sites to see if they have the information you need.

The sites that pop up are the results that search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, et al think are the most relevant to the keyword phrase (aka search phrase) you typed in. Companies pay a lot of money to be among the first two or three pages in the results that search engines return.

Why SEO Copywriters are So In Demand and How They Make Their Money

One of the ways they get to pop up in the first two or three pages of results is to have relevant text that contains the proper keyword phrases. And, this is where you as an SEO copywriter can make a lot of money. You write the text that their site needs to pop up high in search engine results.

Many times, companies will simply give you a bunch of keyword phrases and let you write what you want -- as long as it's a certain length (usually 300-500 words).

There are many freelance writers - hundreds of thousands, if not a few million. BUT, only a tiny minority know what SEO is and how to write this type of copy. And, this is why they're so in demand.

SEO copywriters have an in-demand skill. And, as more and more companies move larger portions of their advertising budgets to internet marketing, there is an even greater demand for their skills.

In the SearcheEngineWatch article, The SEO Copywriter: Wordsmithing the Web, William Flaiz, underscores the importance of an SEO copywriter. He writes:

"The role of the agency SEO copywriter is unique because.... Suddenly, the writer must optimize press releases, craft articles for social news, monitor social network communications, and develop wiki content.... a strong SEO copywriter is adaptable and capable of internalizing a lot of new information extremely quickly. These unique individuals have fast become the backbone of many SEO engagements. If content is king, then they [SEO copywriters] are the kingmakers."

And this is why SEO copywriters can charge a premium for their services. If you're looking for a way to start or maximize your income as an online freelance writer, then SEO copywriting is they way to go.

What is SEO Article Writing? - SEO Copywriting Explained
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About the Author: Yuwanda Black heads New Media Words, an SEO content writing and distribution firm. She is the author of the best-selling ebook, How to Make 0+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. Ms. Black says, "You can work from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet. I do it every day." Learn more about how to start a successful SEO writing career.

Bar Mitzvah Speeches and Speech Writing Tips

Writing a Bar or Bat Mitzvah speech can be a daunting task. The sheer importance of this life event can make even the coolest heads experience moments of stage fright. Composing and rehearsing a well-written, heartfelt Bar Mitzvah speech can eliminate some of the anxiety that is so commonly associated with this familiar ritual. At BarmitzvahCards.net, we understand what you're going through - so we will attempt to provide a comprehensive review with suggestions and tips of how to create the perfect Bar or Bat Mitzvah speech.

For Parents:

Most mothers and father who speak at their sons and daughters Bar or Bat Mitzvah want to be able to say something profound, meaningful, and memorable. The best tip is to stick to writing from your heart. As corny as that may sound - it's very true. But for those who need more guidance than that...here is a basic outline and a few ideas.

Bar Mitzvah Speeches and Speech Writing Tips

The Introduction:

While all Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah attendees are there to focus on the young man or woman - it is the parents' speech that is often the most eagerly anticipated. With that being said, it is very important to spend a considerable amount of time and thought on a very special introduction. A short story or fond memory about your boy or girl that speaks on their character is a popular way to start a speech. As always, famous Jewish quotes are another common segue.

The Body:

Unlike with your teenager's speech, there are no best practices or rules to follow. Your speech can last anywhere from a short toast - to a 10 minute spiel. Go with the flow and proceed with whatever you are comfortable with.

A few ideas for topics to cover (it's alright to choose one, none or all!):

* Share your own experiences on becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah
* Your feelings about and wishes for your child in reaching adulthood
* An anecdote that represents your child's personality
* Why you are proud of your son or daughter?
* What does Judaism mean to you?
* Which characteristics about your child remind you of your forefathers (or foremothers)?
* Include Israel and mitzvoth. Donate, organize, or otherwise provide charity to celebrate this milestone occasion.

Conclusion:

Conclusions commonly contain a few thoughts dealing with thanks and gratitude. It is a respectable way to end a very important speech. The ideal Bar/Bat Mitzvah speech should be informative, sentimental, & entertaining. It is important that you are satisfied with the results; otherwise keep trying until you are. This is among the most memorable moments in your life - make sure everything is absolutely perfect for you and your child!

For the Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah:

Although your children's speeches will usually be written with the help of your tutor or Rabbi - we still felt it might be helpful to go over some of the basics for an effective Bar/Bat Mitzvah speech.

The Introduction:

Often, one of the toughest parts of writing a B'nai Mitzvah speech is coming up with the right words. It is not uncommon to start your speech off with a famous quote or words of wisdom. A powerful statement that is relevant and meaningful can set the tone for the rest of your speech, and is always a safe addition. Poems are also a popular way to lead. Depending on what type of mood you would like to set, this introduction can be philosophical, reflective, or even humorous (to an extent). It is easy to find a list of profound sayings using a search engine. Start by looking for a particular topic, author, or meaning - in no time you will have the perfect introduction for your Bar Mitzvah speech!

The Greeting:

After the introduction, a greeting is proper. This section usually offers a warm welcome for everyone kind enough to attend the ceremony. There is also a thank you of sorts for all those sharing with you this special coming of age moment in your life.

The Topic:

Depending on your synagogue, you may have a choice between speaking from and giving commentary about a recent Torah and/or Haftarah portion - or you may have specific requirements. Either way, it is very important that you spend a good deal of time and energy thinking about the meaning and how it can be applied. It's customary to highlight one or more portions of the reading and provide additional dialogue or personal knowledge on the subject. Being one of (if not the most) important aspects of your speech - it cannot be stressed enough to put some personal thought and reflection into your words.

Personal Feelings about Adulthood:

Describe the impact being a Jewish adult will make. What will you do to show your ongoing, growing commitment to Judaism?

Conclusion:

Reiterate thanks to:

* All in attendance
* Your Parents
* Your Rabbi
* Your Family and Relatives who traveled from out of town
* Hebrew school teacher (if applicable)

These are some of the main points to cover in Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah speeches. While speech writers are common place and can be hired for cheap - it is important to personalize yours and incorporate your own feelings, attitudes, and experiences. As difficult as writing it may be, when it's all over, you'll wish it wasn't. Hopefully this helps - and don't worry - it will only be remembered for the rest of your life!

A few tips about Bar and Bat Mitzvah speech writing:

1. Take time to brainstorm
2. Organize your thoughts into lists
3. Take your lists and provide commentary on each topic
4. Re-order everything until it flows right
5. Take a day or two off - re-visit your speech and make any necessary edits
6. Share with someone close to get feedback (optional)
7. Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse! (Out loud too!)
8. When giving your speech - Relax! Relax! Relax!
9. Make sure your speech was recorded. It will be priceless to you in a few years
10. Enjoy this special day!

Bar Mitzvah Speeches and Speech Writing Tips
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C. Wise is a father of 2 wonderful children and lives in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is a former party planner and event specialist helping with ideas and suggestions for life's most special moments. He designs Bar Mitzvah invitations as well as personalized wrapping paper for all occasions and has experience giving speeches about marketing and motivation for small businesses.

The Art of Personal Letter Writing: 7 Basic Elements

When was the last time you received a personal letter that was not sent by email, but regular snail mail? What type of attitude did it put you in when you received a nice handwritten letter or note outside of the stack of bills that sometimes become daily accessory items for your mailbox? After retrieving a huge box filled with an array of high school and college items from my mother's house, I found at the very bottom, a smaller box containing letters previously written to me from some of my old friends. There must have been about fifty letters in this box before I discarded them. I couldn't resist this last opportunity to read every one of them again. After about an hour of non-stop reading, I made a cup of hot tea and sat down to continue my journey "back down memory lane." I remember rewriting most of my letters, especially if I made a spelling mistake or if my sentence structure wasn't as I intended it to be. Judging from the amount of paper I wasted on editing, you would think that I was mailing them to a major book publisher instead of a friend!

Letter writing created a manifestation of memories bridging the distance between the sender and recipient. People were as meticulous about picking out decorative stationary to write their letters on, as much as the letter itself. This connection through written communication promoted the exchange of conversation, creativity and artistic expression.

The standard format that I followed practically every time I wrote a letter to my friends, immediate family who lived out of town, old sweethearts or occasionally some of my favorite teachers, was composed of the following basic elements:

The Art of Personal Letter Writing: 7 Basic Elements

1. The Heading (Name and Address)

2. Date

3. The Greeting (Dear So and So)

4. The Body (The message you are writing to the recipient)

5. The Closing (Sincerely, Yours Truly)

6. Your Signature

7. Post Script (There is the occasional comment that was not mentioned in the Body of your letter, but made after the signature, called the P.S. or P.S.S. The P.S.S. was an additional post script).

Sometimes on the back flap of the envelope, the writer would put a smiley face or an acronym like S.W.A.K. (Sealed With A Kiss) which indicated that a love letter was enclosed.

Penmanship in elementary school was extremely important years ago. It came as a surprise to me and some of my friends who are parents that cursive writing is not taught in most schools anymore. Therefore, the meticulousness and pride taken in one's penmanship is not as evident today as it was when I was growing up. But a personalized letter or note makes you stop, sit down, read and appreciate the thoughtfulness behind the folded message. Personalized letters displayed a unique voice, taste and style. It showed that a lot of thought, even if it wasn't especially pleasant, went into the written expression.

So why not do something out of the ordinary and make someone smile today by writing a personalized letter to them instead of an electronic one. The memories will be worth the effort, especially if the person is miles away. You will get a great deal of satisfaction from simply taking a few minutes to write an endearing personal message whether on some nice stationary or not. That would be a special gift and welcomed relief for someone to receive in the mailbox amid the endless bills.

The Art of Personal Letter Writing: 7 Basic Elements
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Kym Gordon Moore has over twenty six years of writing experience throughout her corporate career, in various industries from fashion and special event coordination to marketing, public relations and sales. She produced newsletters, press releases, flyers, essays and coordinated radio interview sessions for colleagues and local clients. Many of her articles, essays and poems appeared in several magazines, newspapers and anthologies.

Using the Five Senses to Enhance Your Writing

Sight

This is the one sense that provides most of the detail for our stories. Our words become our readers' eyes, giving us a blank canvas upon which to paint a picture to tell our story. From the sight of a common fear, such as a spider creeping silently along the floor to the glimpse of a shadow on the stairway... sight is our greatest source of horror inspiration and description. When describing the sight of something terrifying there's a huge resource at the writer's disposal, because we can use our other senses to add glorious, gory detail to our descriptions. Here's an example of how all five of our senses can be used to describe a simple scene:

The apple was bright green, its skin polished and shining as it nestled in the fruit bowl (sight). The scent was fresh, as though the fruit had just been plucked from the tree (smell). She took it from the bowl, her fingers closing around the firm smooth skin (touch) as she lifted it to her lips. The apple crunched loudly (sound) as her teeth cut through the skin into the tart, juicy flesh (taste). As the fresh juice ran down her throat she noticed a small black speck moving slowly in the creamy flesh. Closer inspection revealed that she hadn't just taken a bite from the apple - she'd bitten through a fat, juicy worm.

Using the Five Senses to Enhance Your Writing

Sound

Remember when you were a small child, and your parents put you to bed? Perhaps there was no nightlight, and the TV room was at the other end of the house...

You're lying in your bed. All alone. Desperately waiting for your eyes to accustom to the dark you hear it - a soft, scratching noise - and it seems to be coming from under the bed. It lasts only a moment before it stops. You wonder if you were hearing things, and you're so desperate for the darkness to lighten you forget to blink. The blackness seems to swirl around you, cloaking you in a thick, black fog through which no light can penetrate. Suddenly it's there again, only this time the scratching seems closer. And louder. It seems to last a bit longer this time. So you hold your breath, because that darkness doesn't seem to be lifting. You've lost the sense of sight, so by not breathing you hope to hear the sound more clearly, and identify its location...

The description above relies on the complete absence of the sense of sight. This is where fear comes in and can play a major descriptive role - in this case blind fear. To compensate for loss of sight the sense of hearing becomes more acute, so the writer can introduce other horror-inducing thoughts and impressions. Where is the sound coming from? How close is it? Will I be able to feel it if it decides to climb on the bed? When will my eyes get used to the darkness? Should I start panicking now? If I get out of bed will it jump on top of me?

Touch

This sense conjures up description of things most us will probably try to never touch, like slime, frogs and warty skin. All these items are perfect for the horror/scary genre, but writers can also take the more ordinary touch phobias and use those items to horrific effect. Some people cannot bear to touch velvet, while others are terrified of touching paper. Still others find their skin crawls when they encounter cotton wool...

Opening the wooden box in the hotel bathroom, she recoiled in horror. Nestling quietly in the bottom of the box, white and shining, was a cluster of cotton wall balls. She stepped back, collapsing on the side of the bath. The mere thought of feeling those soft fibres squeaking as the ball pressed against her skin was enough to induce goosebumps. She wrapped her arms around herself in a subconscious effort to protect her body from the fear she'd had her entire life. Just thinking about cotton balls made her skin crawl. She moaned quietly, remembering the silent noise they emitted when squeezed; a noise that seemed to pass right through her skin. Through her panic she wondered if she'd remember to pack her facial sponges...

Descriptions of this particular sense can been embellished with the use of physical reactions to feeling certain items; goosebumps, stepping away from the source of horror, collapsing with fear, subconscious act of defence (hugging the body) and a noise of fear (moaning). All these reactions add to the reader's imagination, while adding to the picture your words are "painting".

Smell

Bad smells in the horror/scary genre usually mean something bad is about to happen or has already happened. The smell of rotting or burning flesh is probably the most common description applicable to this genre, and the description of the smell can also be used to indicate how the death occurred. Bad household smells range from two week old pizza languishing in the refrigerator to potatoes burning in a pot on the stove. Adjectives include: smelly, reeking, fetid, malodorous, rank, putrid and noxious.

As she applied the finishing touches to the client's hair, a sharp smell suddenly assaulted her nostrils. It was a smell she hated and dreaded, because it was an odour so terrible the memory remained burned into the subconscious forever. She froze as the acrid stench filled the air, assaulting her nostrils and her throat with its foul flavour. An instant later her salon filled with gasps and shrieks of horror. She turned towards the three ladies seated underneath the dryers. Mrs Hamilton and Mrs Edgar had managed to wriggle out from underneath their dryers, but poor Mrs Smith was unable to move. One of the pins from her rollers had obviously caught in the dryer, and ignited her hair. Smoke was seeping out of the top of the machine, which had started to spark. Placing her hand over her mouth and nose in a attempt to banish the malodorous scent she started to move towards Mrs Smith, who screamed as flames began flickering out of the dryer..."

Taste

Most, if not all of us, have an aversion to a certain food. We don't like to eat it and the taste of it makes us feel sick. Perhaps the mere thought of tasting it is enough to induce some horrible thoughts and feelings.

The candlelight caught the designs on the wineglass, casting a dark crimson glow on the table. He lifted the glass to his lips, the rich musky flavour of the cabernet sauvignon still drifting over his taste buds. At the first sip of the wine he almost choked. There was obviously something wrong with this new bottle of wine, for the liquid in his mouth had a bitter, sour taste. Although the consistency was the same as the previous glass, there was an acidic flavour he could not identify... although it seemed vaguely familiar. He swirled the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing it. It seemed to sting his tongue and burn the roof of his mouth, and when he swallowed the acrid liquid his throat tingled. Suppressing the urge to cough he reached for the glass of water next to his plate and took a sip. As the cool water cleansed the tart taste from his palate his hostess lifted the bottle he'd used to fill his wineglass... and poured balsamic vinegar over her plate of salad.

Writers have a magnitude of adjectives at their disposal when describing the horror of tasting unappetising food. These include: pungent, sour, acrid, bitter, fetid, stinking, putrid, decaying, rancid, reek, stale and bad.

Real life can be far more fascinating than fiction, and using our senses in our writing proves this truth. So the next time you sit down in front of your keyboard tap in to those five senses, and see just how they can colour your words!

Using the Five Senses to Enhance Your Writing
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The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at: http://www.writing.com/authors/zwisis/blog