Proposal Design Basics

Responding to a formal request for proposal (RFP) can seem daunting, but understanding the basics of proposal design can make it much more manageable. The Diace Designs team has tackled some of the most stringent RFPs with hundreds of millions of dollars on the line—and lived to tell the success stories! We would love to share this experience with you so that you will have the confidence to participate in a formal RFP process of your own.

Consistency

The number one rule of proposal design is consistency. Formal proposals should strictly adhere to a set of style guides that determine your header styles, font selections, and colors. This helps a complex document (your proposal) appear more digestible. Consistency is also paramount when it comes to your headers and footers. These areas of the page are tools that help the reader navigate through your proposal. They should be easy to read and the same for every page. There are places for creativity in your proposal, but they are not in your header or footer.

Quality

Quality is just as important as consistency. Both the consistency and the quality of your proposal create the first impression an evaluator will have of your business. Pixelated photos, stretched images, and spelling and grammar mistakes will not position you as the first choice for a lucrative contract. Instead, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve met basic quality standards throughout your proposal to give you the best chance of being selected.

Conformity

Formal RFPs rely on many different departments of an organization to come together and award (a sometimes staggering amount of) money to a business. That’s why procurement and RFP requirements can be so strict; hard and fast rules make the judging process more efficient by keeping information for each bidder organized so that the judges can make a sound decision. Disregarding the rules or a single form signature–can lead evaluators to throw out your proposal without consideration. Always pay close attention to RFP requirements, especially those related to formatting. Keep your content organized and follow the structure of the RFP for the best chance at winning the bid.

Now that you know the basics, you can start looking for RFPs that are applicable to your industry. Even small companies can land big opportunities through the formal RFP process. If you would like to know more about RFPs or discuss one opportunity in particular, contact Diace Designs. RFPs are our specialty!

About Kara Franco
Kara writes copy that speaks. She has a knack for creating clear, compelling messages without wasting words. She is passionate about digital marketing and believes that copy is the cornerstone of user experience.

Copywriter + Content Strategist
Kara@diacedesigns.com