Project Proposal: Getting the Job

Abstract

At the start of most new projects enthusiasm runs high, the coffers are assumed full, and hard engineering is a long way down the road. Projects start in many different ways, depending on circumstances. Often a design project stems from an idea or an identified need in a market, and competitive bids are solicited to help develop the idea or solve the problem. Such a call for bids may vary from a simple verbal request up to a complicated written request for proposal (RFP) in several volumes, depending on the organization and the scope of the work involved. The response to this is a project proposal or bid. As the primary aim of a project proposal is to secure some form of contract, the proposal is generally a written document formally stating what the bidder understands the project to involve and the approach proposed to satisfy the request. In the first instance it is used for bid selection and evaluation, then later for negotiating terms of contract with the successful contender.