effective management of large proposals

The Janis Group, Inc.The Janis Group, Inc.

Waste Management 2010Waste Management 2010Session 83 Session 83 March 11, 2010March 11, 2010

Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities of the Top 5 “Key Personnel”

in Major Proposals

By Jim Janis

The Janis Group, Inc. 2

SummarySummary

The five “key personnel” in any major The five “key personnel” in any major proposal project are the:proposal project are the: Executive managerExecutive manager – Senior executive – Senior executive

decision-maker of bidding company(s)decision-maker of bidding company(s) Capture managerCapture manager – Senior business – Senior business

development representative of bidding development representative of bidding company(s)company(s)

Proposed Project/ Program managerProposed Project/ Program manager – most – most important key person bid on the proposal important key person bid on the proposal

Proposal ManagerProposal Manager Red team chairRed team chair – and the other review team – and the other review team

membersmembers


Summary (cont.)Summary (cont.) These five people These five people

usually act as usually act as managers of teams managers of teams rather than as single rather than as single individuals, and that individuals, and that is how I will describe is how I will describe them for the rest of them for the rest of this briefing:this briefing:1.1. Executive teamExecutive team2.2. Capture teamCapture team3.3. Key personnel Key personnel

teamteam4.4. Proposal teamProposal team5.5. Review teamReview team


Usual relationship of Usual relationship of teamsteams

Executive team

Capture team

Proposal team

Key personnel team

Review team


1. Executive team1. Executive team The The Executive teamExecutive team

consists of the senior consists of the senior management of the management of the company(s) submitting the company(s) submitting the proposalproposal

Their final decisions are Their final decisions are usually required on the usually required on the proposed Project/Program proposed Project/Program manager, other key manager, other key personnel, proposal personnel, proposal budget, fee proposed, budget, fee proposed, contract terms, and risk contract terms, and risk elements such as target elements such as target cost, fixed price, etc.cost, fixed price, etc.


2. Capture team2. Capture team

For major proposals, the For major proposals, the Capture teamCapture team consists of consists of the business development the business development manager(s) of the manager(s) of the company(s) forming the company(s) forming the bid team – or their direct bid team – or their direct representativesrepresentatives

The The Capture teamCapture team chair is chair is the representative of the the representative of the lead or majority company lead or majority company


Capture team (cont.)Capture team (cont.) The The Capture teamCapture team is is

the day-to-day decision the day-to-day decision maker on strategy, key maker on strategy, key personnel, budget, personnel, budget, target cost, fee, and target cost, fee, and proposal management proposal management

If there are orals, the If there are orals, the Capture teamCapture team selects selects the orals coaches and the orals coaches and manages the orals manages the orals processprocess


Capture team (cont.)Capture team (cont.) The The Capture team’sCapture team’s decisions decisions

on major items are often on major items are often reviewed by the Executive reviewed by the Executive team – this varies by team – this varies by companycompany

The The Capture teamCapture team chairchair approves all questions approves all questions submitted to the customer submitted to the customer during the proposal process during the proposal process and manages any discussions and manages any discussions with the customer that may with the customer that may occur after the proposal is occur after the proposal is submittedsubmitted


Capture team (cont.)Capture team (cont.)

The authorities of the The authorities of the Capture Capture teamteam derive from the Executive derive from the Executive team – and sometimes from the team – and sometimes from the Boards of Directors of the team Boards of Directors of the team membersmembers

There is much variability in the There is much variability in the degree of authority granted to degree of authority granted to the the Capture teamCapture team – it depends on – it depends on company policy company policy


3. Key personnel team3. Key personnel team This team includes all of This team includes all of

the people being bid in the people being bid in key positionskey positions

Ideally, the Ideally, the Key Key personnel teampersonnel team is is identified early in the identified early in the proposal process and is proposal process and is available throughout the available throughout the preparation of the preparation of the technical and cost technical and cost proposalsproposals

It doesn’t always work It doesn’t always work out that wayout that way


Key personnel team Key personnel team (cont.)(cont.)

There are two schools of thought as to There are two schools of thought as to the level of involvement of the the level of involvement of the Key Key personnelpersonnel teamteam on very large on very large proposalsproposals One school says very little, except in a One school says very little, except in a

review capacity and to lend their expertise review capacity and to lend their expertise to the Proposal team as requiredto the Proposal team as required

The other school says that the Key The other school says that the Key personnel should be fully in charge of personnel should be fully in charge of major proposals, make all major decisions, major proposals, make all major decisions, and write the technical proposal and write the technical proposal themselvesthemselves


Key personnel team Key personnel team (cont.)(cont.)

My preference is somewhere in between My preference is somewhere in between these two extremes – although I have these two extremes – although I have worked on winning proposals under both worked on winning proposals under both conditionsconditions

Depending on the personalities and Depending on the personalities and experience of the Key personnel, I like to experience of the Key personnel, I like to involve them directly in proposal involve them directly in proposal preparation and key decisions – it usually preparation and key decisions – it usually results in a better proposalresults in a better proposal

Involving the proposed Program Manager Involving the proposed Program Manager early in developing the proposal increases early in developing the proposal increases his/her ownership of the proposal and this his/her ownership of the proposal and this helps greatly in oralshelps greatly in orals


4. Proposal team4. Proposal team

The The Proposal teamProposal team is lead by the is lead by the Proposal manager, Proposal manager, who may be a who may be a company employee company employee or a consultantor a consultant

The The Proposal teamProposal team creates the written creates the written technical and cost technical and cost proposals, proposals, including text, including text, graphics, final graphics, final proposal, etc.proposal, etc.


Proposal team (cont.)Proposal team (cont.)

The The Proposal teamProposal team takes its takes its direction from the Capture team, direction from the Capture team, with input from the Key personnel with input from the Key personnel team as discussed above team as discussed above

The authorities of the Proposal The authorities of the Proposal manager and the manager and the Proposal teamProposal team derive from the Capture team and derive from the Capture team and vary greatly depending on the vary greatly depending on the company(s) involved company(s) involved



Technical and Technical and cost proposals cost proposals are often are often prepared by prepared by different teams different teams because of the because of the different different knowledge and knowledge and skills requiredskills required



It is very important, however, to It is very important, however, to ensure that the technical and cost ensure that the technical and cost proposals are well integrated, along proposals are well integrated, along with the overall project schedulewith the overall project schedule

The overall The overall Proposal managerProposal manager, , under the direction of the under the direction of the Capture Capture team chairteam chair, is generally responsible , is generally responsible for ensuring the integration of the for ensuring the integration of the technical and cost proposalstechnical and cost proposals



If there are orals, If there are orals,

the the Proposal teamProposal team

works closely with works closely with

the orals coaches the orals coaches

and Key personnel and Key personnel

team in creating team in creating

any slides or other any slides or other

materials needed materials needed

for the oralsfor the orals


5. Review team(s)5. Review team(s)

There There areare sometimessometimes as as manymany review review teamsteams as as therethere are are colorscolors in in the the rainbowrainbow

Most important are Most important are the the Red teamRed team review review of the technical of the technical proposal and the proposal and the Green teamGreen team review of review of the cost proposalthe cost proposal


Review team(s)Review team(s)

If the tasks required If the tasks required by the RFP are by the RFP are technically complex, technically complex, have a have a Pink TeamPink Team review of the outlined review of the outlined technical approach technical approach

This gives ample time This gives ample time to thoughtfully alter to thoughtfully alter or refine the proposal or refine the proposal team's final approachteam's final approach


What happens if we ignore What happens if we ignore the Red Team’s comments?the Red Team’s comments?


Why do you need 5 Why do you need 5 teams?teams?

Sometimes you don’t…but it is Sometimes you don’t…but it is important to understand roles and important to understand roles and responsibilities in all proposalsresponsibilities in all proposals

For smaller proposals, several of For smaller proposals, several of the five teams could be collapsed the five teams could be collapsed into a smaller numberinto a smaller number

For example, the Key personnel For example, the Key personnel team, the Capture team, and the team, the Capture team, and the Proposal team might all be the Proposal team might all be the same peoplesame people


Why do you need 5 Why do you need 5 teams? (cont.)teams? (cont.)

For many For many proposals, the proposals, the Review team and Review team and the Executive the Executive team will overlap team will overlap in membership – in membership – this is a positive this is a positive thingthing


Why do you need 5 Why do you need 5 teams? (cont.)teams? (cont.)

It is never a good It is never a good idea, however, to idea, however, to overlap the overlap the Proposal team and Proposal team and the Review team, the Review team, since independent since independent reviews are one of reviews are one of the keys to the keys to successful successful proposal proposal managementmanagement


ConclusionConclusion Major proposals are usually Major proposals are usually

very costly and time-very costly and time-consuming consuming

To help ensure success, it is To help ensure success, it is important to understand the important to understand the roles responsibilities and roles responsibilities and authorities of the authorities of the responsible “key personnel” responsible “key personnel”

Having a clear Having a clear understanding up front as to understanding up front as to who does what and who who does what and who decides what will reduce decides what will reduce stress and cost, and stress and cost, and contribute tocontribute to……


Winning!Winning!

2626

Contact InformationContact Information

Jim Janis

The Janis Group, Inc. and Janis-Bradburne Executive Recruiting LLC

Email: [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.JanisGroup.com

Office: 505-438-3080 Cell: 505-690-3243

PO Box 749 Cerrillos, New Mexico 87010 USA

Cerrillos, New MexicoCerrillos, New Mexico

effective management of large proposals

Documents