CHAPTER 9 – PROPOSALS
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS: This chapter defines when, where, and how you should
use a proposal. Before drafting, you define some preliminary qualities, including
if the proposal is written for internal or external audiences, is solicited or
unsolicited, and if you are proposing a known or unknown solution. Next, the
chapter discusses further considerations for your audience, followed by a
breakdown of common sections present in most proposals. As proposal content
can vary depending on the type and purpose and audience, a section is included
with additional, project-specific sections which could be included in your
proposal, such as client analysis and implementation. The standard design and
format of a proposal is discussed, with emphasis on adaptability for the reader.
The end of this chapter contains a revision checklist for proposals.
9.1 – INTRODUCTION: This chapter focuses on the proposal – a type of
document that gets you or your organization approved or hired to complete a
project, or requests time and resources to study difficult problems. The proposal
is your opportunity to pitch your idea for change (often an improvement) within an
organization, or to draft a research plan to investigate an issue that is of concern
to your institution. Proposals often demonstrate that a problem or opportunity
exists that needs attention, and addresses a very specific audience, one with the
authority to move your suggestions forward. A proposal is an offer or bid to
complete a project for someone. They may contain other elements – technical
background, recommendations, results of surveys, information about feasibility,
and so on. But what makes a proposal “a proposal” is it asks the audience to
approve, fund, or grant permission to do the proposed project. It should contain
information that would enable the reader to decide whether to approve a project,
to approve or hire you to do the work, or both. To write a successful proposal,
put yourself in the place of your audience – the recipient of the proposal – and
think about what sorts of information that person(s) would need in order to feel
confident having you complete the project.
o It is easy to confuse proposals with other kinds of documents in technical
writing. Imagine that you have a terrific idea for installing some new
technology where you work, and you write up a document explaining how
it works, showing the benefits and then urging management to install it.
All by itself, this would not be a complete proposal. This is a feasibility
report, which studies the merits of a project and then recommends for or
against it. However, all it would take to make this document a proposal
would be to add elements that ask management for approval for you to go
ahead with the project. A main difference between a proposal and other
documents is that a proposal will sell the writer (or the writer’s
organization) as the one to complete a future project.
o In a technical writing course, the proposal assignment is an opportunity for
you to present an idea you have to improve a certain aspect of a
company, organization, center, or other business. It is written to a specific,
known reader, who has the power to approve or deny your project. A good
, proposal often leads to conducting research and creating a report;
therefore, whatever topic you choose, you must be able to conduct
research on it, which will be integrated into that final report. In addition to
primary research such as interviews and surveys, if your technical writing
course requires that you integrate scholarly research into your final report,
choose a topic for which you can readily find such material.
o Not all research topics are appropriate for technical writing. Topics that
are based on values and beliefs do not fall into the category of technical.
Historical and literary topics do not qualify. For example, a proposal on
the topic “Gone with the Wind is the best book ever written” would not be
appropriate, as you cannot prove and verify an opinion – everyone has
their own taste. However, you could write a proposal to research the
feasibility of declaring Gone with the Wind the “official novel” of Atlanta,
Georgia.
9.2 – TYPES OF PROPOSALS: Consider the situations in which proposals
occur. A company may send out a public announcement requesting proposals
for a specific project. This public announcement – called a request for proposals
(RFP) – could be issued through websites, emails, social media, newspapers, or
trade journals. Firms or individuals interested in the project would then write
proposals in which they summarize their qualifications, project schedules and
costs, and discuss their approach to the project. The recipient of all these
proposals would then evaluate them, select the best candidate based on the plan
which best suits the company’s needs, and then work up a contract. But
proposals can also be less formal. Imagine that you are interested in doing a
project at work (for example, investigating the merits of bringing in new
technology to increase productivity). You met with your supervisor and tried to
convince her of this. She might respond by saying, “Write me a proposal and I’ll
present it to upper management.” This is more like the kind of proposal you will
write in a technical writing course. There are several aspects of the proposal that
you need to determine before drafting. Identifying these factors are vital to
creating a proposal which will be accepted – whether the proposal is written for
internal or external readers, the proposal is solicited or unsolicited, and if the
solution is known or unknown.
o INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL
Internal: A proposal written to someone within your organization (a
business, a government agency, etc.). With internal proposals, you
may not have to include certain sections (such as qualifications) or
as much information in them. For example, if your manager asks
for ideas to improve the average time it takes to return customer
inquiries, you would create an internal proposal.
External: A proposal written from one separate, independent
organization or individual to another such entity. With an external
proposal, you will need to not only persuade the reader that you
have a solid plan, but establish your credibility with the reader. The
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS: This chapter defines when, where, and how you should
use a proposal. Before drafting, you define some preliminary qualities, including
if the proposal is written for internal or external audiences, is solicited or
unsolicited, and if you are proposing a known or unknown solution. Next, the
chapter discusses further considerations for your audience, followed by a
breakdown of common sections present in most proposals. As proposal content
can vary depending on the type and purpose and audience, a section is included
with additional, project-specific sections which could be included in your
proposal, such as client analysis and implementation. The standard design and
format of a proposal is discussed, with emphasis on adaptability for the reader.
The end of this chapter contains a revision checklist for proposals.
9.1 – INTRODUCTION: This chapter focuses on the proposal – a type of
document that gets you or your organization approved or hired to complete a
project, or requests time and resources to study difficult problems. The proposal
is your opportunity to pitch your idea for change (often an improvement) within an
organization, or to draft a research plan to investigate an issue that is of concern
to your institution. Proposals often demonstrate that a problem or opportunity
exists that needs attention, and addresses a very specific audience, one with the
authority to move your suggestions forward. A proposal is an offer or bid to
complete a project for someone. They may contain other elements – technical
background, recommendations, results of surveys, information about feasibility,
and so on. But what makes a proposal “a proposal” is it asks the audience to
approve, fund, or grant permission to do the proposed project. It should contain
information that would enable the reader to decide whether to approve a project,
to approve or hire you to do the work, or both. To write a successful proposal,
put yourself in the place of your audience – the recipient of the proposal – and
think about what sorts of information that person(s) would need in order to feel
confident having you complete the project.
o It is easy to confuse proposals with other kinds of documents in technical
writing. Imagine that you have a terrific idea for installing some new
technology where you work, and you write up a document explaining how
it works, showing the benefits and then urging management to install it.
All by itself, this would not be a complete proposal. This is a feasibility
report, which studies the merits of a project and then recommends for or
against it. However, all it would take to make this document a proposal
would be to add elements that ask management for approval for you to go
ahead with the project. A main difference between a proposal and other
documents is that a proposal will sell the writer (or the writer’s
organization) as the one to complete a future project.
o In a technical writing course, the proposal assignment is an opportunity for
you to present an idea you have to improve a certain aspect of a
company, organization, center, or other business. It is written to a specific,
known reader, who has the power to approve or deny your project. A good
, proposal often leads to conducting research and creating a report;
therefore, whatever topic you choose, you must be able to conduct
research on it, which will be integrated into that final report. In addition to
primary research such as interviews and surveys, if your technical writing
course requires that you integrate scholarly research into your final report,
choose a topic for which you can readily find such material.
o Not all research topics are appropriate for technical writing. Topics that
are based on values and beliefs do not fall into the category of technical.
Historical and literary topics do not qualify. For example, a proposal on
the topic “Gone with the Wind is the best book ever written” would not be
appropriate, as you cannot prove and verify an opinion – everyone has
their own taste. However, you could write a proposal to research the
feasibility of declaring Gone with the Wind the “official novel” of Atlanta,
Georgia.
9.2 – TYPES OF PROPOSALS: Consider the situations in which proposals
occur. A company may send out a public announcement requesting proposals
for a specific project. This public announcement – called a request for proposals
(RFP) – could be issued through websites, emails, social media, newspapers, or
trade journals. Firms or individuals interested in the project would then write
proposals in which they summarize their qualifications, project schedules and
costs, and discuss their approach to the project. The recipient of all these
proposals would then evaluate them, select the best candidate based on the plan
which best suits the company’s needs, and then work up a contract. But
proposals can also be less formal. Imagine that you are interested in doing a
project at work (for example, investigating the merits of bringing in new
technology to increase productivity). You met with your supervisor and tried to
convince her of this. She might respond by saying, “Write me a proposal and I’ll
present it to upper management.” This is more like the kind of proposal you will
write in a technical writing course. There are several aspects of the proposal that
you need to determine before drafting. Identifying these factors are vital to
creating a proposal which will be accepted – whether the proposal is written for
internal or external readers, the proposal is solicited or unsolicited, and if the
solution is known or unknown.
o INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL
Internal: A proposal written to someone within your organization (a
business, a government agency, etc.). With internal proposals, you
may not have to include certain sections (such as qualifications) or
as much information in them. For example, if your manager asks
for ideas to improve the average time it takes to return customer
inquiries, you would create an internal proposal.
External: A proposal written from one separate, independent
organization or individual to another such entity. With an external
proposal, you will need to not only persuade the reader that you
have a solid plan, but establish your credibility with the reader. The
