How to Avoid a Proposal Halloween Nightmare

It’s a dark and stormy Halloween night in the world of government proposals. The clock ticks toward a midnight deadline, and the Capture and Proposal Managers stare at the half-finished technical solution, sweat forming on their brows. The company doesn’t have the resources or the infrastructure to complete the solution, but the executives have spoken—the proposal must be submitted, no matter what.

Many professionals dread this kind of proposal horror story. Let’s explore what happens next when a well-meaning team faces the impossible.

The Gathering Storm: The Incomplete Technical Solution

The Capture Manager knew from the beginning that there were gaps in the company’s capabilities for this project. After all, the team could only develop 75% of the proposal’s technical solution. Without the resources to back up the solution’s claims, the proposal was on shaky ground. But rather than pulling back and reevaluating the bid, leadership pushed forward, confident that the gaps would somehow “work themselves out” by the time the proposal was due.

The Draft Review Nightmare

As the proposal went through the draft review, the scene turned from troubling to downright terrifying. Reviewers quickly realized they couldn’t fully evaluate a solution that was only 75% complete. The remaining 25%—which was supposed to be the key differentiator—was missing, creating confusion and uncertainty among the reviewers. To make matters worse, feedback was scattered and contradictory. Some reviewers focused on compliance, while others dove into vague assumptions about the missing solution, trying to fill in the gaps. The team was left more disorganized than ever, and tension mounted as the deadline loomed.

The Final Review Disaster

If the draft proposal review was a nightmare, the final proposal review was an all-out horror show. The lack of a solid technical solution and incomplete feedback from the Pink Team caused total chaos. Reviewers struggled to give meaningful feedback because the gaps in the solution were glaring, leaving entire sections to be rewritten at the last minute. But there was no time.

Instead of focusing on refining the messaging or highlighting proposal strengths, the Red Team was stuck trying to figure out how to patch the missing pieces of the solution—without the resources to do it right. In the rush to make the proposal seem cohesive, clarity and compliance were sacrificed. When the proposal reached the final draft, the team knew it was a ticking time bomb. No one wanted to admit it, but they all felt the inevitable—this proposal would fail.

Lessons From the Graveyard

The scariest part of this proposal horror story is that it’s all too common. Companies sometimes press forward with bids they aren’t fully prepared for, hoping things will come together in time. However, as we have seen in this scenario, failing to plan and allocate the right resources can turn even the best intentions into a disaster.

Here’s what we can learn from this frightful tale:

• Realism is critical. Before committing to a bid, leadership should assess whether the company has the resources, talent, and infrastructure to deliver the solution realistically.
• Don’t ignore the gaps. Attempting to cover up missing components will only cause confusion during reviews, leaving the team scrambling to fix major issues at the last minute.
• Structured reviews matter. Clear and comprehensive reviews are crucial to catching gaps early and allowing the team to address them before it’s too late.

This Halloween, avoid the proposal graveyard by planning, setting realistic goals, and conducting realistic bid/no bid decisions across the business development lifecycle. Ensure your organization is focused on improvement—not damage control. Otherwise, you may tell your version of this horror story next year.

Happy Halloween—and good luck with your proposals!

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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).

Brenda Crist

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