I used to review all of the proposals received for IT work for the federal government on a military installation. Basically, ensure that you cover EVERY SINGLE item in the request for proposal you received line by line with any fees for each item broken down also. If your response does not cover any of the requirements it will be disqualified and not considered. We were constantly receiving proposals in many different formats and those that covered the most items (as far as breakdown is concerned) got the most attention. Many times we did not accept the cheapest proposal because another proposal provided more service for the same cost or added in incentives (additional setup time, followup or training). Also, you're response must cover EVERY cost you expect to be reimbursed for including per diem, phone calls back to a support location, travel costs, etc or you will not be able to charge for them later on.

Tracy

>Hi,
>
>I'm hoping to get some response from somebody who is currently contracting with local, state, or the national government. I have recently been listed as a vendor for the state of Texas. I have been receiving some Request For Proposals, but honestly I have no idea how to fashion a proposal for government work. I know it's not as simple as the proposals I am used to doing.
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>Is there guidelines published somewhere on how to write documentation for governments? Maybe some sample proposals?
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>Regards,
>
>JL Miller