Contact program and/or agency staff to be sure you are on the mailing list for all

possible information about the program or RFP, and query them to obtain all information

the staff will currently reveal.

Return "Intent to Submit" form if there is one. (Doing it early can ensure you are on the list

for additional information.)

Attend bidder's conference if one is held.

Outline project requirements from announcement or RFP:

Determine whether the effort of preparing a proposal is worth the investment.

Appoint a proposal manager.

Organize a proposal development team.

Organize a review team (or select a person) to role-play the sponsor review. Someone

on the team should have expertise in judging the fiscal aspects, a business manager

type.

Outline the project, including choices of proposed project staff.

Translate into rough budget figures and adjust project activities if necessary.

Check outline and budget with sponsor staff to determine whether you are on the

right track. Make necessary adjustments.

Make initial determination of where art work is needed to better illustrat what is being

done.

Lay out tentative project work plan.

Compare work plan with RFP, program description, other sponsor requirements, making

adjustments as necessary.

Develop a plan for proposal development with appropriate due dates.

If proposal manager is not to be the editor and synthesizer, assign one.

Arrange for supportive services:

Review to ensure they provide an integrated fit with one another and are congruent

with both sponsor requirements and project goals.

Draft detailed cost estimates, making new adjustments as they appear necessary.

Draft visuals including management organization chart and work plan.

Produce complete draft of proposal including rationale, activities text, visuals,

resumes, institutional description, and budgets.

As development proceeds, have writers exchange sections. To ensure the logical

flow of ideas, it is important to have each writer review sections both preceding and

following her own.

Customize resumes and institutional descriptions to meet requirements of this project.

Project leader and/or synthesizer reviews and edits draft in as much detail as the

proposal's next deadline allows.

Submit to project review team (or person) for evaluation and critique.

and/or project manager in light of:

Determine final costs.

Review numbering of illustrations, sections, and so forth.

Assign artists to prepare cover and section dividers.

Have team members make one last review of their section and as many other

relevant sections as their time permits.

Edit one final time for consistency, integration, redundancy, appearance.

Paginate, develop table of contents, assemble appendixes.

Prepare a table showing where the proposal meets the criteria of the program or

RFP.

For a larger proposal, prepare an Index.

Write cover letter (optional).

Duplicate, collate, and bind final version in sufficient quantity for submission plus

copies for writer, internal administration, cooperating persons or institutions,

subcontractors, and extras. (Collation and binding of latter copies can be done

later if time is short.)

Complete the approvals required by your organization or institution including human

subject review board if needed (e.g., Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,

the Civil Rights Act of 1964).

Assemble assurances, compliances, and, if there is one, the agency's checklist of forms

to be included. Be sure all required items on checklist are included in mailing.

Double-check address of logging center and ship documents so as to arrive by due date.

If acknowledgment of receipt does not arrive promptly, follow up to determine problem.

Review of past research.

Procedure regarding subjects.

Procedure regarding instruments.

Design of the study.

Personnel, facilities, and equipment.

Subcontracts and services.

Budget.

Assurances.

Proposal review.

Duplication of proposal.