Stop Wasting Precious Proposal Time!
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Stop Wasting Precious Proposal Time! Chris Simmons, Rainmakerz Consulting LLC APMP Georgia Chattahoochee Chapter September 29, 2010
The Time Management Challenge Basic Needs Eating, Sleeping, Exercise, Relaxing Significant Others Adrienne, Spencer, Shea, Family, Friends
Work • • • •
Proposals Other billable Non-Billable APMP
Other Church, PTA, Chores, Hobbies
8,760 hrs. Many of us spend too much time at work leaving precious little time for other (more important) things. 2
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The Time Management Solution
Work • • • •
Proposals Other billable Non-Billable APMP
Basic Needs Eating, Sleeping, Exercise, Relaxing Significant Others Adrienne, Spencer, Shea, Family, Friends Other Church, PTA, Chores, Hobbies
8,760 hrs. Being more productive at work means more personal time for you. 3
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Time Management Challenges… ….for Proposal Professionals ‘Issues’ Survey
Not enough time to respond No respect for proposal schedule deadlines Limited resources that increase time pressures The biggest challenge I face is time! 12 other time related issues
The most frequently mentioned proposal development issues are related to time management. (Source: 24Hour Company Issues, April, 2008)
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The History of Time Management
Egyptian-built obelisks Middle East (3500 BC)
Spring powered and pendulum clocks (1600 AD)
Egyptian sundial (1500 BC)
Quartz (digital) watches (1920)
Greek/Roman water clocks (100 BC)
Cesium atomic clock NIST (1967)
Time management started more than 6,000 years ago and continues to increase in popularity and diversity. 5
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Proposal Management Challenges RFP issued
Proposal kickoff
APMP Conference
Proposal due date Many proposals are doomed for failure even before they begin, largely because there isn’t enough time. 6
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7 Time Management Reco’s and Tips
Lucky Number ‘7’ Days in a week
Habits of highly effective people
Deadly Sins The seven high impact recommendations and tips will help you get more out of your proposal in less time. 7
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1. Set Ground Rules and PLAN Proposal Plan
Capture Plan Opportunity overview Customer analysis Competitor analysis Critical success factors Win strategy High-level solution(s)
Proposal team organization High-Level outline Methodology Schedule Processes, tools. Templates Lessons learned
Thorough advanced planning is one of the cornerstones of managing time efficiently and effectively. 8
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Use a Proposal Development Methodology Methodologies • ShipleyAssociates • CapturePlanning.com • SM&A • LORE
15-day Schedule
RFP • Priorities • Constraints
Storyboards
Pink
Gold
Use the appropriate methodology and take proposal priorities and constraints into account. 9
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Secure Appropriate Resources Technical Section: 50 page target All new narrative (industry average = 5 pages/day)
5 days to complete 1 writer Options: 1. Base section on boilerplate (not recommended) 2. Work writer 16+ hour days (not recommended) 3. Request another full-time writer Verify the right number of resources with the right skills.
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Pick the Right Time and Start Meetings on Time…Every Time
Starting meetings on time shows you mean business and value everyone’s time. 11
Copyright © 2010, Rainmakerz Consulting, LLC
2. Organize the Work into Small, Manageable Steps
Let’s…
…start writing and review in a week
Let’s…
…understand the RFP …determine solution(s) …develop an outline …storyboard/module plan
Don’t let your proposal team go off for too long on a single task.
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Avoid Scheduling Work on Weekends…at least initially
Don’t plan to work weekends, but be prepared if it becomes absolutely necessary. 13
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Mutually Agree on Deadlines When will it be done!
When can it be done?
Best case scenario No constraints Optimum efficiency
Constraints Limitations Miscommunication Inherent inefficiencies Murphy’s Law
Work with your team to close the gap between the perfect world and a less than perfect reality. 14
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Set Deadline Windows and Avoid the COB Syndrome
Storyboard deadline window
Deadline windows help to bridge the gap between the perfect world and the practical realities of the real world. 15
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Set Specific Deadline Times (within the windows) Storyboard deadline window
Writer’s Checklist “Your section is due on June 18th at 11:00am in the SharePoint SB folder with all checklist items complete.”
File name Sections complete Spell check Passive voice (
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