So far in our “Better Proposal Writing” series, I have articulated the need for a strong, client-focused introduction; a well-constructed approach section; and hard-hitting substantiation. However, the one thing I have not discussed is how to gain the “bonus points” from an evaluator to get your proposal from Good to Outstanding.
Continue reading “Give Them a Reason To Care: Three Tips to Better Benefit Statements”
Kevin Switaj, President and CEO of BZ Opportunity Management, has been selected to present at the 21st annual Southern Proposal Accents Conference (SPAC). Hosted by the Georgia, Carolinas, and Florida APMP chapters, the conference focuses on APMP professionals across the Southeast region and beyond. This year’s conference theme is “The World of Proposals — From Start to Finish” and is scheduled for Thursday, March 22, 2018 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in northwest Atlanta.
Continue reading “Kevin Switaj Selected to Present at SPAC 2018!”
The company has been targeting an opportunity for a year. It has gone through all the necessary step reviews, has had dedicated capture resources, several client meetings, and the team has even developed win themes and solutions. The solicitation drops. The capture lead then poses the question: ‘who is our proposal manager?’
Upon receiving the solicitation, the proposal manager develops an outline based on the requirements. After circulating it to the bid team, the capture lead sends a reply. He writes the structure “doesn’t flow” and demands changes because the outline does not allow him to tell the story he wants.
Continue reading “Shattering Proposal Myths: Myth 6 – We Need to Tell a Story”
We are excited to launch a new feature on our blog – a video blog entry! Today, our President and CEO, Kevin Switaj, shares his top three takeaways from the 2018 APMP Bid and Proposal Conference in San Diego.
Continue reading “Top Three Takeaways from 2018 Bid and Proposal Con”
BZ Opportunity Management President and CEO, Kevin Switaj, has been selected to present at the 2018 APMP Bid and Proposal Conference. Held 15-18 May in San Diego, CA, the conference is the largest gathering of opportunity life cycle professionals in the world. More than 900 people attended the 2017 conference, held in New Orleans.
Continue reading “BZ Opportunity Management’s Kevin Switaj to Speak at 2018 Bid and Proposal Con!”
On 22 February, the National Capital Area chapter of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals hosted a roundtable discussion entitled “Winning Orals: Tips and Tools for Effective Oral Presentations.” Today’s federal marketplace is at a crossroads. Some clients still require traditional oral presentations. Others have moved to the “demonstration” approach, in which you develop a solution and present it in a short period of time. Finally, some have gone “hi-tech” and request video presentations.
On Monday, the Trump Administration released its budget plan for the 2019 Government fiscal year. In its introduction, the President writes, “the Budget reflects our commitment to the safety, prosperity, and security of the American people.” (Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget, Office of Management and Budget, US Government Publishing Office, 2018; 2)
Continue reading “Three Lessons for Government Contractors from the 2019 Trump Budget”
Recently, there have been a lot of proposal professionals questioning the value of color team reviews as part of the proposal process. They argue the field needs to move to an Agile development process. Proponents of throwing out color teams view the traditional Blue-Pink-Red-Gold process as outdated, a dinosaur due for retirement like the smoke-filled war rooms of decades past.
It has been much, much too long since I have posted on my blog. Life has a way of getting in the way of writing. The last few months have been busy, both professionally and personally. However, as the year comes to a close I wanted to look back at 2017 and provide some hints for what’s coming in 2018.
