By examining implementations of capture and proposal management processes in large, mid-tier, and small businesses highlights how the right processes can increase efficiency. Learn the factors needed to assess your processes and receive a road map to scale these processes to your needs.

1. Right-Sizing Your Capture and Proposal Process A practical approach to properly scaling capture and proposal process and infrastructure June 2, 2010 Hélène J. Courard, J.D., AM.APMP

2. Agenda Objective & overview The five key elements Practical application Small firm Mid-sized firm Large firm Conclusion Summary chart

3. Objective & Overview

4. Objective & overview Size, nature, and culture are critical components to consider when developing and implementing a capture and proposal process

6. Without return in

7. Efficiency

8. Effectiveness

10. Conflicting strategy & vision

13. Understand customer requirements and objectives

14. Develop preliminary solution

15. Position solution with customer

16. Assess competition

17. Develop win strategy

18. Build/execute teaming strategy

19. Establish price to win

20. Assess risk

21. Conduct pursuit progress and preliminary bid decisiongate reviews

22. Identify opportunity

23. Meet with customer

24. Qualify opportunity

25. Start capture plan

26. Prepare opportunity assessment package and conduct review

27. Assign proposal resources

28. Develop strawman RFP

29. Review solution against RFP

30. Review/approve storyboards

31. Identify and develop early-stage proposal products

32. Draft oral presentation

33. Finalize proposal development plan

34. Plan kickoff meeting

35. Conduct pre-proposal gate review

36. Conduct closure strategy

37. Clean up proposal files and archive

38. Receive award notice

39. Attend debrief

40. Assist with protests

41. Conduct lessons-learned review

42. Conduct continual improvement gate review

43. Hold win party!

44. Transition to operations

45. Confirm bid decision

46. Finalize and validate proposal outline, design, and resources

47. Conduct kickoff meeting

48. Finalize solution

49. Finalize storyboards and conduct Blue Team

50. Begin writing proposal

51. Review/approve price proposal approach

52. Conduct Pink/Red reviews and edit

53. Conduct Gold review

54. Produce and quality check proposal

55. Conduct proposal submission gate reviewWhat’s important? EVERYTHING!!! 7

56. So, how do you prioritize?

57. The Five Key Elements

58. What are the key elements? Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

59. Practical ApplicationA Small Company

60. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

61. Consider both overall infrastructure and per opportunity costs Infrastructure staff, tools, equipment Pursuits Include overhead and B&P funding Internal staff support to business development lifecycle Think about staff augmentation for surge Interview and identify firms for support based on your projected annual pipeline needs – before you hit panic mode

62. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

63. Define and prioritize core capabilities “Core” means central functions Top 3 to 5 maximum in highest to lowest priority order If potential opportunity falls in that space prime, otherwise, lower priority

64. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

65. The bare minimum

66. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

67. Routine pipeline reviews Number of opportunities in each category Identified / Qualifying / Bidding / Awards Budget status (B&P) Resource status Next 90-day calendar Brief overview of each opportunity and pursuit status

68. Quick look analysis for individual opportunity reviews

69. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

70. Establish a virtual workspace Common drive with defined folder and parameters for Reusable content Style guide Checklists, workflows, Point of Contact lists, etc. Populate with key data Project abstract write ups Resumes

71. Summary: small company culture

72. Practical ApplicationMid-Sized Firm

73. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

74. Invest in infrastructure and plan for pipeline Infrastructure Staff, tools, equipment Look at the pipeline, plan for pursuits Overhead and B&P Consider both cost of internal staff support to BD lifecycle as well as engaging consultants for surge

75. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

76. Define and prioritize core capabilities Can be more than the 3-5, but need prioritized list of target areas for growth Evaluate opportunities in line with priorities and allocate funds and resources accordingly

77. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

78. Staff a robust, dedicated team

79. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

80. Routine monthly pipeline reviews

81. Comprehensive gate reviews Varying degree of specificity for each of the following topics: Forming capture team (people) Understanding the requirements Solution development Positioning Competitive analysis Teaming Price Strategy Risks and mitigation Business case

82. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

84. Boilerplate

85. Pre-Written Content

86. Graphics

87. Searchable Resume Database

88. Searchable Past Performance / Project Abstract Databases

89. Past Proposal Library

90. Establish more formal repositories for reusable content

92. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

93. Invest in infrastructure | plan for pursuits Infrastructure includes Proposal Center of Excellence (PCOE) Detailed budgets for opportunities including overhead and B&P Establish contracts with various consultants Ensure sufficient talent in subject matter areas Conflict avoidance

94. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

95. Detailed plans for each unit Define and prioritize core capabilities for each business unit/sub-organization Establish lines of authority and lead business unit for each scope/area Evaluate opportunities in line with organizational priorities and allocate funds and resources accordingly

96. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

97. Sophisticated, mature organization

98. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

99. Monthly pipeline reviews Thresholds for each level involvement (Corp, Division, Unit) based on scope and nature of deals Define escalation path for larger deals

100. Individual capture reviews At each stratified corporate level Thresholds for each level involvement (Corp, Division, Unit) based on scope and nature of deals Define escalation path for larger deals

101. Establish budgets Develop a strategic plan: prioritize efforts, engagements, and pursuits Define and engage non-funding resources Define and implement reviews Dynamic workspace with reusable content

102. Establish full scale PCOE

103. Characteristics of a PCOE

104. Conclusion

105. Conclusion A process without an understanding of the effect it has on the overall operation of the company result is worthless Focus on scaling your process and infrastructure as a tool to move the company forward toward more efficient and effective growth Keep the organization on target to grow business with the appropriate level of energy and resources so that the end goal is a natural consequence of the planning and process implemented to get there

106. Contact Information Hélène J. Courard, J.D., AM.APMP Managing Director, Process & Infrastructure Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. Creating Winning Proposals for Government Contractors 1964 N. Vermont Street Arlington, VA 22207 tel.: 703-424-3917 (m) hcourard@LohfeldConsulting.com www.LohfeldConsulting.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/helenecourard

107. Summary Chart

108. Summary Chart