The Proposal Efficiency Breakthrough You Need Now

What’s the greatest way to improve proposal writing efficiency? That’s the question we recently posed to over 300 bid and proposal professionals. Their responses might surprise you—or reinforce what you’ve long suspected.

The overwhelming majority, 57%, agreed that planning the content first is the most effective way to increase efficiency. In contrast, 26% emphasized the importance of fostering good SME collaboration, 9% prioritized training proposal writers, and 8% saw AI/Generative AI (GenAI) as the key to streamlining the process.

Why Planning First Matters

The results align with a fundamental truth in proposal development: a well-planned proposal drives efficiency and saves bid and proposal costs. When teams take the time to map out the content before drafting, they can:

• Ensure compliance and responsiveness from the outset
• Reduce rework caused by missing or unclear requirements
• Provide clear direction to writers, SMEs, and reviewers
• Minimize last-minute scrambles and inefficiencies

Without a structured content plan, whether in the form of annotated outlines, content plans, or proposal storyboards, teams often find themselves rewriting instead of refining—wasting valuable time and resources. Before developing the content plan, the writing team must also understand the winning strategy (why our team will win the contract) and the overarching value proposition (how our team offers the best value). In addition, writers must understand the team’s strengths across all evaluated sections and how to mitigate weaknesses and risks. Providing the writing team with a draft executive summary and a conceptual solution diagram can also help expedite writing and ensure a unified vision.

The Role of SMEs, Training, and AI

While planning took the lead, the poll results also underscore the importance of other efficiency boosters:

• SME Collaboration (26%): Proposals require technical and management expertise, making proactive SME engagement critical. Setting expectations early, structuring SME interviews, and using templates can improve content quality and speed.
• Training Proposal Writers (9%): A well-trained writer can transform complex ideas into compelling text. Investing in training ensures that teams can write quickly and persuasively while minimizing rewrites.
• AI/GenAI (8%): While still a small piece of the puzzle, AI tools are gaining traction. They can help generate first drafts, analyze RFPs, and expedite workflow, but human oversight remains essential to ensure compliance and strategic messaging.

The Takeaway: Efficiency Starts with a Strong Foundation

Focus on content planning if you want to write faster, waste less time, and produce higher-quality proposals. While AI/GenAI, SME collaboration, and training play vital roles, establishing a structured approach before a single word is written is the best way to drive efficiency.

If you need proposal writing assistance or training, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Relevant Content

• 25-Point Checklist: Secure Proposal Writing Success Now

• 100 Tips for Improving Proposal Writing Using Generative AI

• Proposal Brain: How to Overcome the Fatigue of Proposal Writing

By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube^(TM).