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July 16, 2004
Balancing Act
I've just begun work for a new client who is bidding on an Army contract. When we spoke on the phone the other day, the client expressed a lot of frustration because staff members have not handed in their writing assignments on time. She indicated that this has been a problem with past proposals, with the result being a great deal of last-minute work and late nights in order to meet proposal submission deadlines.
She seemed relieved and surprised when I assured her that this is a VERY common problem for both experienced and inexperienced bidders. In fact, most prospective clients are relieved and surprised when they hear me say this -- they think that they are the only ones faced with the problem, and that everyone else is well-organized, efficient and timely. But more likely than not, the same problem occurs within organizations that have good systems in place for proposal development and staff who are accustomed to writing proposals.
In my experience, proposal writing assignments are rarely completed on time. Sometimes the writers just don't know where to start or what to say. However, in the majority of cases, the problem is created by the Balancing Act: how to balance ongoing work with proposal work. Staff of an organization always have ongoing work and projects to complete, deadlines to meet, meetings to attend, vacation schedules, travel commitments, and so forth. Then a proposal comes along, and these same staff are given additional work on top of their already full workloads combined with a proposal submission deadline that absolutely cannot slip. Given this set of circumstances, it's often a miracle that a proposal gets done at all.
So what's the solution to the problem? One solution, of course, is for staff to revise their schedules and priorities, work additional hours, and/or somehow become more efficient. Easier said than done. Another solution is to create a dedicated proposal development unit within the organization. While many large companies do have proposal departments, most small- and mid-size companies can't afford to set them up. A third way to go is to use the services of a proposal consultant. In many instances, it is because of The Balancing Act that clients call on me for assistance.
So now you know -- you're not the only one.
Posted by Deborah at July 16, 2004 08:19 AM
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