Proposal Development Workshop

This 1-day course provides an overview of the key factors that separate proposals that win from those that do not. This course addresses proposals in response to a formal Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifications (RFQ), Request for Information (RFI) from vendors, proposals prepared to address a potential business opportunity as well as less formal estimates and quotes.

This course is suitable for anyone involved in the proposal development process, including individuals that make decisions on whether or not to respond to a proposal opportunity.

During the course participants will learn the factors that lead to a successful proposal, some of which include:

• Ensuring the proposal is aligned with your organization’s strategy
• Understanding the competitiveness of your organization before spending the time and effort on a proposal
• Establishing a clear process for managing the creation of a proposal including who to involve and when
• Tailoring proposals to address client needs in a logical way that demonstrates your organization’s credibility
• Presenting and organizing the proposal material in a clear, persuasive manner
• Understanding the potential risk to your organization given the nature of the work and the potential customer

Participants will be exposed to a number of proposal types and examples, as well as tools and templates for managing the proposal creation process.

Instructor: Janet Bonaguro, Principal of ThinkSpace Performance, has worked with over 100 organizations locally, nationally and internationally. For 20 years she has provided business advice, managed organizations and created new organizations. Janet has provided business advice and trained hundreds of individuals on the topic of business growth (including sales and marketing), proposal writing and client relationship management.
Janet has written hundreds of successful proposals from single page, back-of-the-napkin proposals to multi-million dollar submissions. She has coordinated proposal processes on behalf of clients and has led proposal evaluations teams.
She brings this experience into the classroom to give you the most valuable advice for making your proposal stand out. She also brings her real-life project delivery experience into the proposal development process to help students understand and manage project risks early in the bidding process. Janet brings a fun and energetic style to the classroom, sharing multiple stories and offering frequent opportunities for interaction with other students.
Janet has worked in the construction, trades, manufacturing, utilities and service industries as a project manager, process and systems designer and business advisor.  She holds designations as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Financial Management Advisor (FMA), and holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA).