Cost Proposal Strategy for Proposal Managers

Manage the Cost Volume Effectively and Maximize Your Win Probability

Classroom training on May 16, 2012 in Rockville, MD

This course offers practical tools for proposal managers on everything from cost volume basics to process, data calls, assumptions, compelling cost volume narrative, WBS, BOEs, price to win, and cost strategies.

Why should you attend this course: Although the government often states that cost is the least important factor in proposal evaluation, and that they buy on best value, statistics show that cost is the deciding factor in more than 90% of the federal contract awards. In other words, cost is incredibly important if you want to win. Proposal managers, however, work very hard on the technical volumes and wield little influence over this all-important volume.

The truth is that cost volumes are often developed behind closed doors. Proposal managers often must resort to merely checking when the cost proposal be done, assisting with scheduling a cost volume review, and praying the cost volume team does a good job. While the technical team follows a more or less disciplined process, the cost team often runs ad-hoc and crams everything the last week before submission, patching together boilerplate that is often at odds with the statements made in the technical volume. This course offers proposal managers the necessary skills to:

• Avoid the biggest cost volume mistakes that could make a difference between winning and losing.
• Effectively direct the joint technical and cost proposal teams’ work in tweaking the solution to make price adjustments and developing such items as assumptions, WBS, and BOEs.
• Apply effective strategies to arrive at the price-to-win.
• Infuse process into the cost volume development.

Date: May 16, 2012 (Wednesday). 8:30am - 5:00p (continental breakfast and afternoon snack included).
Location: Metro Park North Business Center, 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 560, Rockville, MD 20855
(check our Visitor Guide for location details, driving directions, nearby hotels and restaurants, and more).
Course completion: By attending this class, you will receive 3 CEUs towards your APMP accreditation, or 3 PDUs towards your PMP. At the end of this course you will get a Certificate of completion.

Who should attend this course: This class is from the proposal manager’s perspective, but volume leads or even finance managers who lead cost volumes will benefit as well.

Course curriculum: Here are some of the topics we will cover in the course:

• Cost volume vocabulary and basics you need to understand as a proposal manager.
• Top cost volume mistakes that lower your win probability.
• 8 cost proposal team roles and responsibilities and how they should work together for maximum results.
• Key milestones in the cost volume development process.
• Strategies for adjusting your technical solution to lower your price and get to your price-to-win.
• How to collect assumptions and why well-written assumptions are your ticket to writing.
• How you can help your cost volume lead in collecting information, plus what information is needed and why.
• What to include in the cost narrative so that it is not a tired old boilerplate that won’t get you any points.
• What to do when you are afraid that your competition is going to low-ball and under price you.
• Stellar executive summary for your cost proposal.
• What is a WBS and how to build a good one.
• The skinny on the dreaded BOEs, when you are better off creating them, and how to prepare them.
• What specific cost strategies you can apply to get your price down to the range where you can win.
• One key step proposal managers miss that could make a difference between winning and losing.

About the instructor: Olessia Smotrova-Taylor is the President and CEO of OST Global Solutions, Inc. She is a currently practicing capture and proposal manager who has won more than $17 Billion in new business. As one of the proposal industry leaders, she is on the Board of Directors of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals' (APMP) National Capital Area (NCA) chapter and is the editor and chair of the APMP NCA Executive Summary e-zine that won 2010 APMP Communications Award. She regularly presents at the APMP's international and other conferences, roundtables, and proposal boot camps, and runs popular training webinars on business development. She is currently designing and preparing to teach a Masters-level course in proposal development for Stevens Institute of Technology. She has 16 years of experience in proposal and capture management, marketing, and communications. She is a prolific author, speaker, trainer, and blogger, and is well-known in the global proposal community. Her self-study course, Executive Summary Secrets, sells worldwide. Prior to starting her own consulting company, she won business for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and wrote for the Financial Times of London.

Seating is limited. Do not delay registering.

Fee and registration: For team discounts please change quantity of attendees at the checkout and click "Recalculate" to get the discount. Register 3 week before class start date and receive $50 off per attendee as an EARLYBIRD discount!

• $695 per one attendee ($645 if registered 3 weeks before class start date).
• $625 per attendee when registering a team of 3 or more ($575 if registered 3 weeks before class start date), discounts apply at the checkout.

For additional questions please call 301-384-3350 during normal business hours. If you'd like to pay by invoice please send an email to service@ostglobalsolutions.com (NOTE: the payment must be received prior to the course start date).

 

Cancellations and rescheduling policy: Cancellation notification must be received 10 business days prior to the training date. Upon notification, your registration fee will be refunded less a $100 non-refundable processing fee. Any cancellations beyond the 10 business days are non-refundable, but the course fee can be applied towards another training course, webinar, or an OST Global Solutions training product. No refunds will be made for the cancellation of a rescheduled course. Attendee substitutions may be made at any time. Payment must be received prior to the course date. No-shows are liable for the full class fee.

P. S. If you think of someone else who could benefit from this course, please forward this invitation to them!