Successful proposal strategies for small businesses: Using knowledge management to win government, private-sector and international contracts + CD (6^th Ed.)

The new, Sixth Edition of this perennial bestseller updates and expands all previous editions, making this volume the most exhaustive and definitive proposal strategy resource. Directly applicable for businesses of all sizes, Successful Proposal Strategies provides extensive and important context, field-proven approaches, and in-depth techniques for business success with the Federal Government, the largest buyer of services and products in the world. This popular book and its companion CD-ROM are highly accessible, self-contained desktop references developed to be informative, highly practical, and easy to use. Small companies with a viable service or product learn how to gain and keep a customer's attention, even when working with only a few employees. Offering a greatly expanded linkage of proposals to technical processes and directions, the Sixth Edition includes a wealth of new material, adding important chapters on cost building and price volume, the criticality of business culture and investments in proposal success, the proposal solution development process, and developing key conceptual graphics. CD-ROM Included! Features useful proposal templates in Adobe Acrobat, platform-independent format, HTML pointers to Small Business Web Sites, a comprehensive, fully searchable listing Proposal and Contract Acronyms and a sample architecture for a knowledge base or proposal library.

Introduction. Competitive Proposals and Small Business. Strategic Partnering and Sub Contracting. Marketing to and With Your Clients. Request for Proposals. Private-Sector Solicitation Requests. The Federal Acquisition Process: Emerging Directions. The Proposal Life Cycle. Major Proposal Components. The Proposal Solution Development Process. Understanding and Approach—Yes, They're That Important. Developing Key Conceptual Graphics First. Acquisition/Capture and Proposal Team Activities. The Role of the Proposal Manager. Structuring International Proposals. Proposal Production/Publication. Human and Organizational Dynamics of the Proposal Process. Controlling Bid and Proposal Costs. Tried and True Proposal Writing and Editing Techniques. Packaging and Managing Proposal Information Effectively. Building the Cost/Price Volume. Leveraging Business Complexity in a Knowledge-Based Economy. Planning and Producing SF330 Responses for Architect-Engineer Services. Preparing for Graduation from the 8(a) Program. Succeeding in the World of VERY Small Businesses. The Criticality of Business Culture and Investments in Proposal Success. Epilogue. Appendices. Selected List of Acronyms and Abbreviations. Selected Bibliography. About the Author. Index.