Pens Down Blog

Pens Down Blog2024-03-28T16:03:54-04:00

What are Foundational Skills in BD, Capture and Proposal Development?

Whether you're in government contracting business development, capture or proposal management, your success depends on a combination of critical skills. These are your foundational skills, and you and your team depend on them every day to communicate and problem-solve effectively. By mastering these foundational skills, you are better equipped to engage with clients, lead a team, and create proposals that stand out from the competition. Want to increase your chances of winning government contracts? Take a moment to assess your foundational skills: Writing Skills: Developing clear, concise, and persuasive proposals relies on strong writing skills, including effective articulation, proper grammar and punctuation, and adapting writing style to the target audience. Research Skills: Thorough research is necessary to understand solicitation requirements, gather relevant data, and support arguments with evidence, including government regulations, market trends, and competitor information. Project Management Skills: Effective proposal development requires skilled project management, including organization, time management,

By |March 14th, 2024|Categories: Blog|0 Comments

Why You Should Go Remote as a Proposal Writer (and Why Companies Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Telecommuters)

By |January 26th, 2022|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Originally published on February 14, 2020 as an article on LinkedIn. How many remote jobs have you discovered for technical roles? Software developers, app engineers, and system architects seem to have it made when it comes to remote work. When it comes to marketing and proposal writing, though, many companies draw a firm line in the sand: You must be able to physically commute to our office. I'm confused by this mentality. I've been writing

4 Tips for Virtual Reviews

By |December 31st, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Proposal professionals have learned a great deal on how to handle remote bid development and management over the past year. I expect the changes made as a result of COVID-19 will remain with us even when we return to our new normal. One of the most important changes, in my view, is the increased acceptance and promotion of virtual reviews. Many teams used virtual reviews prior to the pandemic as a way to incorporate different

Recent Decisions Highlight Extra Diligence Needed When Acquiring a Government Contractor

By |December 31st, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Two recent decisions by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), one of the forums that hears protests by disappointed bidders for Federal Government contracts, highlight some of the extra steps that buyers of businesses performing government contracts may need to take before closing a deal. A basic principle of Government contracting is that the Government must evaluate offers it receives to determine whether and how well the would-be contractor will meet the Government’s requirements. (Exactly

Six tips for better content reuse

By |December 31st, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Six tips for better content reuse - determine whether it contributes to increased proposal wins both in percentage and in volume. Originally published on Lohfeld Consulting's Blog at https://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/blog/2021/08/six-tips-for-better-content-reuse/ Proposal content reuse at its best improves productivity and make the most of your bid and proposal (B&P) resources. Every company reuses proposal content, whether they have a formal content reuse strategy with tools, technology, and dedicated writers or individuals who reuse their own latest and

The Benefits of RFP Automation Software for Proposal Managers

By , |December 31st, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Originally posted on Visible Thread's blog - https://www.visiblethread.com/2021/09/the-benefits-of-rfp-automation-software-for-proposal-managers/ A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document issued by a government or organization’s procurement department. It invites proposals from contractors to bid on a project.  The RFP process allows the buying organization to compare and contrast the businesses that are interested in carrying out the work and to assess them according to their capabilities and value for money. For businesses that survive and thrive on winning

13 Steps To A Successful Job Interview

By |December 27th, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

With the New Year right around the corner, this article by Cella, Inc. may have just the tips you need to start looking for a career change. As intimidating as a job interview can be, there are ways to alleviate your nervousness and enter the conversation with a prospective employer feeling ready and self-assured. The key is to prepare to highlight your most pertinent strengths and to answer questions in a clear and compelling fashion.

Shipley Tips: Everybody Gets a Trophy—Celebrate the Proposal Team, Win or Lose

By |December 14th, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Reprinted from https://www.shipleywins.com/blogs/ While the phrase, “everybody gets a trophy” has become aligned with a sense of entitlement, or the idea that one person works hard and the rest of the team reaps the benefits, I would argue that this phrase still has some merit. The phrase can apply to our proposal and business development teams. But that doesn’t mean everyone gets the same trophy. It means that every member of the team is seen

How does the government evaluate a proposal PWS?

By , |November 23rd, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Developing a comprehensive and effective PWS is a great way to show the government that you understand the work Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 37.602 gives the Federal Government the freedom to decide if the acquiring agency or the bidder prepares the Performance Work Statement (PWS). When the offeror prepares and submits the PWS as part of its technical proposal, often the evaluation criteria give the Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) quite a bit of leeway in

Advance Your Small Business Goals With These Actionable Tips

By |November 9th, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

Advance Your Small Business Goals With These Actionable Tips There are more than 30 million small businesses across the United States. Whether you've owned your small business for years or are beginning your journey, you're far from alone. Being a business owner is hard, especially with such steep competition. Thankfully, you can use a few actionable tips to help advance your small business goals and realize your entrepreneurial dreams.  Determine a Business Structure  Determining a

6 Things I Learned After Attending BPC Denver

By |October 27th, 2021|Categories: Blog, Featured Article|

When I left Bid & Proposal Con Orlando in 2019, I felt energized and couldn’t wait to share my new knowledge with my colleagues who were unable to attend. Being at the event got me excited about my profession and eager to attend the 2020 conference in Nashville. However, the world had other plans. Luckily, we had this year’s BPC in Denver to reenergize and reengage us through interactions with missed colleagues and live education.

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