A: Usually, companies call us for help when several bids are in process, and they need help on one or more; a short-term, emergency, or even long-term staff shortage reduces proposal support; or using a skilled consultant experienced in specific proposal development areas (such as proposal management, oral presentations, pricing, editing, or graphics) will increase the likelihood of a win.

Q: How do we get started using your support on a forthcoming proposal?

A: Call us. We'll listen carefully to your description of the proposal to be prepared. We'll ask questions, obtain a copy of the RFP, or visit government web sites to gather data. We'll learn the size, subject matter, and content of the document, and study its milestones, phases, and deadlines. We'll ask you questions about your level of readiness, proposal budget, availability of reuse data, and assignment of in-house resource people. If we’re not familiar with your work environment, we'll assess hardware and software capabilities and workspace needs to support the proposal effort. We'll ask about the work style and preferences of your in-house leaders. Then we'll recommend how we believe we can best help you.

Q: How do you know how much help we’ll need to meet our deadline and prepare a top quality proposal?

A: After gathering the information just described, we build our estimate on all pertinent facts and on our many years of experience in similar situations. We use metrics from past engagements and our knowledge of the process and pitfalls of proposal preparation. We even use such factors as potential adverse weather or holiday slowdowns to estimate the minimum support you’ll need from us. We can add or subtract staff once we’re underway if our calculations need adjustment.

Q: How do you select the person or team members who will help us with our proposal?

A: After we assess the nature and level of support you will need, we match the skills, knowledge, specific expertise, availability, and even personality of our associates -- well-known to us through years of affiliation -- to your needs.

Q: May we interview the proposal specialists you select to send to us?

A: Yes, of course. In fact, we recommend an interview, if time allows, to ensure all participants are prepared to work successfully together.

Q: What if we don’t like the person or team you send?

A: This problem rarely occurs, but we are always willing to learn of your concerns and replace any associate with whom you’re not completely satisfied. Usually, the opposite situation occurs: You call us back to request specific associates you’ve worked with on previous proposal efforts we’ve supported!

Q: Can you estimate hours in advance so that we can plan our budget?

A: Yes. On most efforts we plan an average 50-hour week, excluding deadline extensions or changing RFP requirements. Our highly competitive hourly rates generally range from $45 to $85 per hour, and no overtime surcharges apply for professional services.

Q: How do you qualify the people you send to us?

A: WSI’s president personally qualifies each WSI associate, usually through side-by-side work experience, but also through experience and knowledge presented on resumes, personal referrals from trusted sources, in-depth interviews, review of work samples, client feedback, and local reputation. In addition to careful qualification, WSI’s president continuously updates information on each associate’s strengths, new skills, and work preferences.

Q: What are some of the tools and methodologies you use to prepare proposals?

A: Our structured proposal development approach captures critical RFP and corporate data early in the process to establish an orderly environment for the writing effort. With a detailed compliance matrix and annotated proposal outline, our specialists can prepare storyboards for each proposal section or electronic writing templates to guide writing efforts. We provide additional electronic forms and procedures for tracking SOW requirements, information from subcontractors, and data for status reports. We offer a fail-safe version control approach for use in any systems environment and graphics/text tracking procedures.

We interview customer staff to obtain needed data, prepare an RFP-compliant draft, then work interactively with corporate authors to perfect the data. We also maintain electronic and paper versions of in-process text for instant perusal and comment. In addition, we deliver stand-up training in proposal development, informal lunch-bag seminars, and one-on-one writing guidance.

Each WSI associate has the experience to devise and tailor additional specific tools and methodologies as needed.

Q: We want to bid on a program that is outside our area of expertise. Can you send us a subject matter specialist to help us devise a strategy and approach?

A: Sometimes, although we recommend you reconsider a bid decision for a program outside your core competencies. Generally, an organization that specializes in that work will win the bid. Our strength is in adding our specialized knowledge of proposal writing and development to the subject-matter expertise of your in-house staff to prepare winning approaches and solutions.

Q: Can we ask you to support oral presentations?

A: Yes, it’s one of our specialties. Several of our associates have strong credentials in this arena, and we can help across the entire life-cycle of oral presentations. Our support includes requirements analysis, strategy planning, theme development, data capture, presentation materials development, coaching of individual presenters, group rehearsals, question/answer preparation, videotaping and feedback, team reviews, and debriefing.

Q: How do we establish an agreement, when do you bill us, and what are your terms?

A: We require a purchase order or letter of agreement to begin work. We usually bill at the middle and end of each month. We can also bill weekly if you prefer, or just once at the completion of engagements of less than two weeks’ duration. Our terms are net 30 days from date of invoice.

Q: How do you differ from a "body shop"?

A: Greatly! WSI’s president (usually) or a senior manager (occasionally) fields all requests for services, gathering detailed data with which to individually match customer needs and preferences with a WSI associate or team. Our president personally supports each effort by monitoring progress, staying in touch with the procurement’s direction, and assessing our team’s performance. We don’t gather resumes of hundreds or thousands of people and advertise a giant database of "resources." Instead, we are a small and specialized organization with carefully screened and chosen associates. Also, we don’t instruct our onsite staff to "sell" more services to our customers. We’re in business to do quality work and continue to earn the respect of the industry, not sell "bodies."