Are you familiar with how to write a grant proposal? What about how to write a government grant proposal? Are they different? What should you be aware of?
Understanding how to write a proposal for funding from the government can mean the difference between having your proposal accepted or rejected. At Bid and Business Writers, we have extensive experience writing government proposals and a proven record of success.
Whether you hope to write your government proposals in-house or wish to outsource their preparation to a
specialist writer, we’re here to help you better understand what makes for a winning proposal.
Unlike a standard grant proposal, a government proposal is not written with the intention of securing funding for a project. Government proposals are prepared in the hope that a business can secure a lucrative contract with the government for a specific product or service.
Also known as tender writing, governments often ask for tenders or bids for goods and services they require as a way of ensuring they are receiving the most competitive price. Government proposals can be for contracts at a federal, state and local level.
Successful applicants for government proposals gain not only valuable contracts but grow their public profile and reputation. This is why preparing a polished proposal is essential for any business that hopes to grow and enjoy renewed success.
While government tenders follow a similar outline as a grant proposal, they have some unique challenges that can make them much more difficult to prepare. These challenges are including but are not limited to:
As governments are taxpayer-funded organisations, there has to be absolute transparency throughout the tender process which is why these types of proposals present additional challenges. The good news is, that despite these challenges, it is still possible to write a winning proposal and win a coveted Government contract.
Preparing a proposal to the government requires discipline, exceptional organisation and unmatched attention to detail. Applicants should:
Many government tenders will include a response template where you simply complete the required fields. Each of these fields may have a word limit or specify certain file formats for attachments.
You must always follow the formatting rules or adhere to the template, failing at this step will see your proposal
immediately rejected by the review panel.
If no preferred format or structure is outlined, you should still focus on keeping your proposal organised clearly and logically. An organised proposal is easier for the review panel to read and helps them to better understand why you are the best choice amongst all other applicants.
Think of your tender as you would a quote, you must include critical details to be genuinely considered. Be sure to include as a minimum:
Your ABN
Should your tender involve aspects linked to Intellectual property rights, this should be addressed in your proposal also.
Your proposal needs to demonstrate that you can meet the
Government's needs. To do this, you need to give specific examples of how your business can meet the selection criteria. This helps the review panel better understand how choosing you will benefit them.
You should also highlight your credentials and experience. By identifying exactly what the tender is seeking and drawing a straight line between these needs and your ability to meet them, you’re more likely to secure the winning bid.
It’s not enough to say you are the best choice, you should provide proof of this through the inclusion of referees and reviews. Always get permission to utilise a review or a referee's details and make them aware of why you are doing so.
Always proofread your government proposal and have a third party experienced in tenders read it and provide feedback. This helps you pick up errors you may have missed and fine-tune your proposal for the best possible impression on the review panel.
Make sure you have allocated ample time to not only write and review your proposal but for submission also. You should never leave a tender submission to the last minute. Rushed submissions made just before the deadline can be seen as a lack of preparation on your part and negatively impact the way they are received.
By outsourcing your government bid writing, you can better focus on keeping your businesses' everyday operations running. It also helps you to more consistently win contracts - growing your business and improving its profitability as a result.
Our team not only knows how to write a business proposal for a government grant, but they can also search out appropriate tenders for you to apply for. We can work alongside your in-house writing team and manage a larger team as needed for high-value tenders.
From grant proposals to business proposals, government tenders and more, our talented team of writers can handle it all with ease. Have confidence in your government tender submission and deliver a polished and professional proposal with Bid and Business Writers. Call 0482 072 929 today to get started.
ask@bidandbusinesswriters.com.au
Located in Australia and London