Writing a Proposal

Two types of proposals exist: solicited and unsolicited.  You write solicited proposals when a specific person, company, or organization asks for a review of or research on a particular topic.  You write unsolicited proposals when you take the initiative to address a specific need or problem that you have noticed within a company or organization.

You should write your proposal to persuade your readers to see your point.  To do this, you must find out who is most likely to read your proposal.  Ask yourself these questions:

• What positions do my readers hold within the organization?
• Where are their positions within the company in relation to mine?
• Will more than one group of people be reading this?
• What do my readers know about the problem or need?
• What do my readers know about me and/or my organization or company?

 

Basic Components of Proposals

Your proposal should have the following elements:

• Executive summary
• Introduction
• Problem definition
• Proposed solution (Plan of work)
• Qualifications (Personnel and Resources)
• Budget
• Conclusion

 

Executive Summary

Your executive summary is the first thing your readers will see.  Write this as a condensed version of your proposal. This should be well written so that your readers will read the entire document. 

You should include pertinent information about your proposed solution, your plan of work, and cost in your executive summary. 

 

Introduction

Write your introduction so that it briefly details the problem or need and why you are proposing your solution.  State the purpose of your proposal.  Include a listing of what follows in your proposal.  You may mention that you are writing in response to a solicitation by your company. 

 

Problem Definition

Define your problem or need.  Present background information of the problem or situation for your readers to understand the problem or need and your proposed solution or plan.  You can also explain how the problem or situation developed.  Give your readers the information necessary to understand why they should accept your proposal. 

Many people also know this section as a “scope of work”, but use this term only when it refers to a research project.  

 

Proposed Solution

Because you have just explained the problem, your readers will want to know how you intend to solve it.  Clearly connect your solution to the problem.  Include a detailed plan of work for how you plan to implement your solution in a reasonable amount of time. 

Depending on your solution, you may need to clearly define what you and your company will and will not do to implement a solution. 

Anticipate your readers’ questions.  They may wonder what makes your plan better than another plan or what other solutions are available.  Persuade your readers that your plan is the best for the problem. 

In this portion of your proposal, relevant graphics may strengthen your argument.

 

Qualifications

This section should contain the qualifications of the people who will carry out the proposed solution.  You can include this information in paragraph form or attach résumés in an appendix.  If you decide to attach résumés in an appendix, introduce the people or summarize their qualifications in the section while still referring your readers to the appendix.

You may need to demonstrate your company’s or organization’s ability to successfully implement your proposal.  Include a brief background of your company or organization and its past work. 

 

Budget

You can also call this section “Cost Proposal” or “Cost Estimate.”  You should include an itemized list of the estimated expenses associated with your proposal.  Your expenses may include the cost of labor, equipment, and any other essential materials for your proposed solution.

Some readers may expect a justification of the costs, so you should explain each item and its purpose for the proposed solution. 

 

Conclusion

Your conclusion should briefly restate the problem or need and your proposed solution.  You should also restate what the proposal offers your readers and how your readers can benefit from your proposed solution.  This is your last opportunity to persuade your readers to accept your proposal and to select you and/or your company or organization to implement the proposed solution .

 

Click here to download a PDF version of this page.