1. Any properly conceived idea, service, project, plan
whether theoretical or practical in nature, put
forward for action or implementation is a proposal

2. A proposal is a document that requests supportusually money- for work a proposer wants to do.
what makes a proposal a proposal is that it asks
the audience to approve, fund, or grant
permission to do the proposed project.

3. To buy a service
 To convince the reader of the existence of a
situation and to take a course of action
 To convince your department of your need for a
new technology
 To provide you with funds (loan/grant)
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4. 
Internal and External-according to the target
audience

Solicited and unsolicited-according to the source

Business Proposal, Research Proposal, Technical
Proposal- according to contents and objectives of
the proposal

5. 
Internal proposal: If you write a proposal to someone within
your organization, it is an internal proposal. With internal
proposals, you may not have to include certain sections (such
as qualifications), or you may not have to include as much
information in them.
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External proposal is one written from one separate,
independent organization or individual to another such entity.
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Solicited proposal: If a proposal is solicited, the recipient of
the proposal in some way requested the proposal. Typically, a
company will send out requests for proposals (public
announcements requesting proposals for a specific project )
through the mail or publish them in some news source.

Unsolicited proposals are those in which the recipient has not
requested proposals. With unsolicited proposals, you
sometimes must convince the recipient that a problem or need
exists before you can begin the main part of the proposal.

6. Written to someone within your organization.
example:
The chairman of a company asks the personnel
manager to develop a training program for the new
recruits
 No need to include qualifications/bulky information
 Can be submitted in the form of manuscript/memo.
 Content of an internal memo comprises of the
problem, suggested solution, the financial effect and
how the suggested plan is better than the existing one

7. Written from one separate, independent
organization or individual to another such identity .
 Recipients could be existing or prospective clients

ex:
An independent consultant can propose to do a
project for another firm / An advertising agency
may propose to design a scheme for a nationwide
ad campaign for a bank

8. 
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Are the basis on which
decisions are taken within
the organization
Are the basis on which
contracts could be drawn
up

Are not competing with
other proposals

Not a legal binding
Internal
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Are prepared for recipients
outside the organization
Are meant for internal
decision making
May often compete for
business
If accepted, external
proposal become legal
binding
External

9. 
Response to some invitation by other companies

Companies invite proposals from goods/service
providers to compete for the business. Such invitations
are called Request for Proposals (RFP)
RFP contains details about the project, its nature,
specifications, a time frame and an approximate cost
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RFPs are sent to various reputed companies and are
also published in newspapers and magazines
As a response to such invitations, business proposals
are made

10. 
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Generally promotional in nature
When you initiate a proposal yourself
Generally persuasive in nature and claim to solve an existing
problem in a company
Form of detailed advertisement/brochure that introduces the
company to prospective customers showing variety of services it
could provide , range of expertise it possesses and possibly earlier
clientele
Can be internal/external
Ex: you perceive that some changes in the hiring policies of your
company could improve morale and performance of company’s
employers-unsolicited internal
Ex: a govt agency is attempting to improve working conditions and
advertises the availability of funds for rectifying common problems.
The agency invites any qualified person to submit a grant proposal
using agency’s guidelines.-external solicited document

11. Classification According to
Contents and Objectives of the
Proposal
Business Proposal-If a proposal deals with any
aspect of business , commerce or industry
 Research Proposal-If it is concerned with a
project requiring scientific enquiry or systematic
investigation
 Technical Proposal-When the objective of
proposal is to modify or create something
requiring technical knowledge and skills.


12. AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
 Attention-is caught towards what is being
proposed
 Interest-is created by pointing out how the plan
would be executed
 Desire- to accept by highlighting the benefits or
advantages that would accrue
 Action-An impulse for action is induced by
persuasive reasoning

13. Title Page

Cover of the proposal

Contains-title, name & designation of proposer,
name of the organization to which he belongs to,
month & yr of submission
2. Table of Contents-given only when the proposal is
long running into 15 or more pages
1.

14. 3. Executive summary Summary of entire proposal
 Problem
 Solution (what will take place/how many people will
benefit/where it will operate/for how long/who will staff it)
 Funding requirements
 Organization & its expertise
4. Statement of the Problem Enables the reader to learn more about the issues
 Presents the facts and evidence that support the need for the
project
 Establishes that your organization understands the problem
and can reasonably address them

15. 5. Objectives To what extent your proposal is going to solve the
problem or effect the change should be clearly
specified
 May be listed in terms of long term and short term
goals

16. 6. Technical Plan Describe In technical terms how the proposal would
solve the problem
 Discuss theoretical principles / analytical or
experimental methods to be followed
 Equipment/instruments/materials needed and how you
are going to utilize them to execute the proposed
project.
 In case of production of a new instrument, component
or part of a machine, highlight technical/operational
advantages that would accrue from it.

17. 7. Management Plan
 Describes how you will accomplish the proposed task
 Indicates plan of action (division of work/time required
for completion), facilities required/personnel who will
execute the project
 Plan of action should specify how work will be divided,
who will be responsible for each division and time
required
 Provide a brief description of qualifications ,
achievements and experience of personnel involved in
execution

18. 8. Cost Estimate
Kingpin in the proposal

Solicited-cost data required would be already indicated, only supply
information
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Unsolicited-show all the items of anticipated expenditure

Estimate should be realistic & complete

Include the amount required for the following itemsmaterials/equipment/computer time/lab testing/salaries of personnel
/travel/office/contingencies/infrastructural facilities (land, building,
water, electricity..)
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9. Conclusion (optional)-state briefly the significance of the
project and highlight once again the benefits

19. Cover Letter/Memo with Separate Proposal-Write
a brief cover letter/memo and attach the proposal
after it
 Business Letter proposal-Put the entire proposal
within a standard business letter
 Memo Proposal-Put the entire proposal within a
standard office memorandum


20. Times Roman
 10-12 point type
 Use of color whenever possible
 Extensive use of graphics
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21. Who (will do the work/is responsible or to be
contacted)
 What (needs to be done or delivered/cost)
 Where (will the work be done/will it be delivered)
 How (will it be managed/long will it take/will the
work benefit the customer)
 When (will you start/will the project be complete/is
payment due)
 Why (should the customer selected the proposal)
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22. 
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Specify the scope clearly.
Be realistic in your estimate of time, money and
personnel required.
Establish your credentials for accomplishing the task.
Highlight the benefits that would accrue to the customer.
Keep the proposal short and precise.
Use plain language.
Ensure that the presentation and layout are neat and
attractive.