11: Writing Proposals
You are writing an internal proposal to suggest that your company purchase a new ticket-tracking system, called Tick-Track, for the company's information-technology help desk. Which of the following is the best point to make in the introduction of your proposal?
"We estimate that the response delays caused by our current ticket-tracking system are costing the company $1,000 per day in lost productivity."
A solicited proposal is one that you send to a customer who has not requested it.
False
The proposed program section of a proposal contains an itemization of the costs associated with the project you are proposing.
False
According to Chapter 11, which of these is NOT a useful guideline for creating a proposal for an audience in a different culture?
Focus on costs.
A task schedule is almost always drawn in one of three graphical formats: table, bar chart, or network diagram.
True
According to Chapter 11, one way to demonstrate professionalism in a proposal is to discuss your work history.
True
Which of the following is an important part of persuading the reader of a proposal that you can complete the proposed work successfully?
You must show readers that they can trust you to do a good job.
Which of the following does the proposed program section of a proposal NOT customarily include?
a budget
Hardy Grocery Store has issued an RFP for the construction of a two-story warehouse addition to its main store. The warehouse must be built on 5,000 square feet of adjacent property, but it must have up to 9,000 square feet of storage space and have loading platforms for both North and East Street entrances. R&F Architects has responded with a proposal acknowledging the grocery's property restrictions and space requirements. R&F's proposal includes a sketch of the warehouse it proposes to build, with multiple entrances to the exterior as well as entrances to the existing building. The proposal has a chart showing the phases of the project, including the completion date, and a section describing R&F's staff and similar past projects. The proposal ends with a bid. What should R&F add to the proposal to better compete with other organizations bidding on the project?
a description of its quality-control measures
Which of the following is NOT an example of a quality-control measure?
a list of all the heavy equipment used in a construction project
According to Chapter 11, what are the two kinds of deliverables that typically result from proposals? (Select both answers.)
a tangible product, a service, or some combination of the two a research report
According to Chapter 11, which of these is NOT a subject of a goods and services proposal?
asking for resources to study how a new pesticide affects lettuce and cabbage crops
According to Chapter 11, which of these is an example of an indirect cost associated with a proposal?
cost of operating a company's telephone system
According to Chapter 11, what is the best way to describe the problem or opportunity behind a proposal?
in specific monetary terms
What are the main categories of resources required for completing a proposed project?
personnel, facilities, and equipment
According to Chapter 11, what is a common name for the leader of a proposed research project?
principal investigator
Which of these is NOT a common deliverable for the end of a research project?
progress report
According to Chapter 11, what must you demonstrate to show that your organization can complete the work described in a proposal?
qualifications and experience
To be persuasive, proposal writers must demonstrate that they understand readers' needs. According to Chapter 11, what two other qualities must they demonstrate? (Select both answers.)
that they are able to do what they plan to do that they are committed to fulfilling their promises
In which situation might you present your proposal as a memo?
when your audience is internal