Reflection

Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to complete a “goods and services” or “research” proposal that responds to a real-world RFP or instructor approved project scenario. Your proposal should include the major sections of a proposal presented in class.
By completing this assignment, the problem you are trying to solve is how best to construct a document, that makes a compelling case for your proposed solution, demonstrates professionalism and thoughtfulness, exhibits clear attention to detail and revision, and incorporates various strategies of technical communication and document design.
Skills
This assignment will reinforce the following skills that are necessary in professional and technical communication:
• Analysis of information
• Audience assessment and orientation
• Collaborative content creation and revision
• Team dynamics
• Task evaluation and planning
• Creating and maintaining a schedule of tasks
Knowledge
Understanding audience needs and expectations is one of the most foundational components of professional and technical writing. Therefore, successful completion of this assignment requires that you consider your audience, the organization/individual who posted the RFP, and frame your proposal to be most successful for that audience.

Task
Completion of this assignment should generally follow the proceeding steps:
• Establish a calendar with deadlines for each of the major steps of the writing process that follow.
• Identify an RFP that you wish to write a proposal for.
o See the RFPs, Grants, and Other Funding Sources pages for websites listing RFPs.
o You may, if you choose, write a hypothetical RFP (see Part 1: Submit RFP assignment on Canvas).
• Brainstorm ideas for the important sections of the proposal
o Summary, Introduction, Plan of Work, Schedule, etc.
• Based on brainstorming, construct an outline of each major section of the proposal.
• Review outline to identify any information that may be missing.
• Begin drafting sections of proposal.
o Solicit feedback from outside sources (other students, Writing Center, etc.).
• Work on revising sections based on feedback.
o Ensure the inclusion of some kind of schedule (Gantt Chart is preferable) and preliminary budget.
• Continue working on revisions.
• Submit final revision of proposal
Criteria for Success
The “Proposal” project has no minimum word requirement. That said, it is expected that your proposal contains, at a minimum, the four major sections of standard proposals identified in our class discussions. For reference, those sections are:
• Summary
• Introduction
• Plan of Work (or Tasks, Scope of Work, Proposed Program)
• Appendices
o Task Schedule (Gantt Chart)
o Evaluation Techniques
Your audience for the proposal is the organization or individual who posted the RFP (or the organization you stipulate if you write a hypothetical RFP).
Students who wish to be most successful on this project will spend significant time working to understand and analyze the RFP before beginning work on the Proposal. Successful students will conduct relevant research on the posting organization. Successful students will also conduct a small usability test (i.e., solicit feedback from others) before finalizing the document. Lastly, successful students will also spend time fully responding to the Evaluation and Reflection Prompt in order to provide insight on how the student worked through the project and the success of the Proposal.