What is the Greatest ROI When Using AI for Proposals?

The conversation around using AI/generative AI (GenAI) in proposals is no longer about whether it’s being used; it’s about what return on investment (ROI) it’s generating. To find out what aspect of AI/GenAI is delivering the most value, I recently asked a simple question on LinkedIn:

“What’s the greatest return on investment (ROI) you’ve gained from using AI/GenAI in bids and proposals?”

Here’s how 172 proposal professionals responded:

• 65% said it saved them time on proposal writing
• 30% said it improved proposal quality
• 3% said it reduced proposal costs
• 2% said it enabled them to submit more proposals

No surprise—time savings dominated the results. Proposal deadlines are tight, teams are lean, and AI/GenAI is increasingly being used to generate compliant first drafts, restructure content, and reformat resumes and past performance examples in minutes. The benefits are real, but so are the risks.

Is AI/GenAI Becoming Too Obvious?

Across the companies I work with, I’ve observed a growing reliance on AI tools to generate proposal content quickly, but with that speed comes a trade-off: many proposals are starting to sound the same. To truly increase ROI and win contracts, a proposal must do more than read well—it must resonate. That means demonstrating a deep understanding of the customer’s mission, clearly linking your solution to their specific needs and challenges, and telling a compelling story that shows your experience, innovation, and proven results. While AI can help get words on the page, it can’t replace the insights gained from customer conversations, researching their challenges, and sharing success stories.

Where the Real ROI Happens

The greatest ROI on AI isn’t just saving time. It’s using that saved time to write smarter. The best proposal teams use GenAI to handle the heavy lifting, then reinvest that time into:

• Deep research into the customer’s mission and priorities
• Crafting solutions that are tailored, not templated
• Adding storytelling that highlights past performance and people
• Risk identification and mitigation solutions

Think of AI as your assistant, not your author. It can give you a head start, but your team’s insight, ingenuity, and personal touch are what cross the finish line first.

Conclusion

GenAI is a powerful tool, but it’s only as effective as the prompts behind it. That’s why we created the Generative AI for Proposal Professionals class at Lohfeld Consulting. In this hands-on course, we teach you how to write smarter prompts and build reusable AI agents that go beyond generic outputs. You’ll learn how to guide AI to generate proposal content that reflects your solution, aligns with the customer’s mission, and supports a winning strategy. Contact us for details.

Relevant Information

• Insights Volume 5: Harnessing the Power of AI for Bid and Proposal Professionals (this book is a free download)

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).