captureplanning.com Learn about proposal writing and business development
 

Stay On Top Of The Latest Best Practices
Enter your email address below and we'll send you our free monthly newsletter — you'll also get free access to our Template Tool and Resource Directory.

Email address:

How Privia Enables The Proposal Department To Increase Its Value-Added

I was once engaged to speak to the Proposal Department of a multi-billion dollar contractor on the topic of how they could increase the value-add they bring to their company. Recently, while configuring a workspace in Privia, I began thinking about how much easier and more hands on my presentation would have been if they had been using Privia.

Proposal Departments add value to their organizations in four ways:

  1. They provide support directly to proposal efforts, usually in the form of proposal management, coordination, writing, graphics, and production.
  2. They provide access to resources, such as the proposal production facility, and data tools, such as a boilerplate library, templates, resume database, project summary database, past performance details, etc.
  3. They develop and document the proposal process to help ensure consistent proposal quality and efficiency.
  4. They provide training to help technical staff new to proposal work get up to speed.

Within each of these areas, using Privia enables a Proposal Department to add even more value to the organization:

Proposal Support

A centralized Proposal Department can more easily and cost effectively support field offices with a web-based tool like Privia. Without it, the proposal staff must travel to provide support to field offices, which becomes cost prohibitive. It also makes it easier to monitor and participate in multiple simultaneous proposals.

Proposal Resources

Besides being a platform for hosting resources such as libraries and document databases, Privia is also a resource and tool. Using Privia, the Proposal Department adds value to proposals in which they are not personally involved. For your databases, all you have to do it set up the files in a folder and Privia can make them searchable.

Proposal Process

Privia helps you automate your processes, guide people through the processes, and track and manage progress through alerts and reporting features. Privia has a built in workflow system that handles the logistics of assignments, notifications, reminders, delivery of files, etc. The automation increases your value-add through improved efficiency, but it also makes your process more accessible to end users. When you implement your proposal process as a Privia workflow template, you no longer have to evangelize to get people to follow your process --- the software will tell them what to do and when it's due. Handled correctly, you simultaneously make their lives easier, while helping them achieve a better quality outcome.

 

Proposal Training

You don't usually have the time or budget to implement an effective training program, and even if you do, you cannot pull staff away from their billable work. If you are using Privia, you can bundle training information with the proposal assignments delivered via the workflow system. That way the system not only delivers the assignment, but also includes guidance on how to complete the task. The Proposal Department can use Privia to boost the skill levels and effectiveness of staff without incurring the expense of a traditional training program.

 

Conclusion

Privia gives you cost-effective options for deploying resources and training that aren't otherwise available to you. It also enables you to help the organization improve proposal processes with minimal effort and cost. And finally, it extends your access to proposals that aren't done within the physical confines of the Proposal Department.

Don't think of Privia as just a tool; think of it as a way to exponentially increase your value to the organization.

 


This article is just a small sample of what paid members to our site get. A membership provides you with far more detail and comprehensive guidance, turning our site into a just-in-time resource that saves you time and helps you win. Click here to find out about becoming a member of our site.




Want more detail? Members of our site get access to all of our examples, tutorials, and workbooks, covering the entire business development lifecycle. While members get special access and features, we still have hundreds of articles like this one that you may browse free of charge.

Login to the User Settings & Downloads Page

Four ways we can help you grow:
Tips, Tricks, Tools, and Lessons Learned
Get the guidance we wish we had when we were beginners, inspiration for professionals, and time savings for everyone. A membership comes with access to all of our tutorials and workbooks for a single price that is much lower than purchasing them separately. Win more business by becoming a member.

Learn From Our Tutorials
Professionals get inspiration and beginners get the guidance we wish we had when we were starting out. Our tutorials and workbooks provide specific solutions and practical advice. The free articles are just a tease. Get access to our premium content with a membership or purchase our titles individually. Click here to browse our documents.


Our Premium Content:
Individual tutorials and guides to help you develop business and write proposals or full access memberships for those who seriously want to win:

How to Survive Your First Business Proposal
509 Questions to Answer in Your Proposals
How to Write a Management Plan
How to Write an Executive Summary
Proposal Format and Samples Package
Quick and Dirty Guide for Writing a Last Minute Proposal
Business Development for Project Managers & Engineers
The MustWin Process
How to do Proposals the Wrong Way
Business Start-Up Planning Workbook
51 Tips for Microsoft Word

Get them all at a discounted price with a membership!

Other Tools
Resources
News and Market Research
Industry Research
Federal Government Agency News
State/Local Government News
Competitive Intelligence
Marketing Best Practice Search
Grants Search

Miscellaneous
Home
About Us...
Privacy Policy
Site Terms of Usage
Contact/Send Us Feedback


Free Article Library:
Our huge library of business development and proposal writing articles provide a taste of what's in our premium content. Feel free to browse...

Proposal Writing
How to Write a Business Proposal
How to Write an Executive Summary
Proposal Writing for Professional Services
Proposal Management
Red Teams & Proposal Quality Validation
Proposal Process & Procedures
Proposal Training
Business Proposal Software
Business Proposal Tips
Business Proposal Graphics
Oral Proposals and Presentations
Marketing & Business Development
Sales Letters & Copy Writing
Government Contracting
Request for Proposals (RFP)
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Small Business Development & Startup
Management & Career Center
Just for Fun...






Copyright © 2007. Please review the Terms of Usage prior to copying or distributing.