Proposal Project

English 211                         Proposal Project

Document Specifics

The proposal should be based on a product or concept of your choice from the list of topics below. Preparation and presentation of this project should follow the reading and examples in our text about business proposals, using the following guidelines:

·         Your final proposal must be a minimum of 4 pages in length (not including front matter or end matter like References lists, appendices); in 12 point font, and single-spaced.

·         It must include ALL elements from the checklist marked as ‘Required’.

·         2 informative graphic elements must also be included in the proposal.  They must be informative, and not purely decorative. 

·         At least 4 external, quality research sources must also be consulted, and referenced in the text.

·         A short Cover Memo or Letter should introduce the project to your audience.

The guidelines and expectations for this assignment are detailed in the Checklist for Proposals which follows.

You must participate in the peer review process for credit consideration.

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Suggested Topics:  Your proposal topic must be chosen from the following list of proposal ideas. (You should create names for people and organizations for the project):

1.    Imagine that a company has some sort of problem or wants to make some sort of improvement. It sends out a request for proposals; you receive one and respond with a proposal. You offer to come in, investigate, interview, make recommendations -- and present it all in the form of a report.  Common business issues consultants often help with are high turnover rates; poor customer service ratings; employee theft;  morale issues; need for basic training on topics like sexual harassment, cultural sensitivity, workplace enthusiasm, etc. to name a few.

2.    An organization wants a seminar in your expertise. For example, how to be prepared for workplace violence; how to deal with emergency situations in the workplace; how to improve cultural sensitivity; how to improve professional dinner etiquette, etc., etc. You write a proposal to give the seminar—included in the package deal is a guide or handbook that the people attending the seminar will receive.

3.    You have been approached by a career consulting company.  They do not have someone on staff with your particular career expertise, but they are considering the value of adding the position.  You are asked to present a proposal about your career field, which would also include information about how/why this particular career would be of value to the Career Consulting company, as opposed to some other career field.

4.    Some agency has just started using a fancy desktop-publishing system, but the documentation is giving people fits. You receive a request for proposals from this agency to write some sort of simplified training guide along with short training sessions.

Adapted from http://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/props.html#types_proposals

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Cover Document

A brief Cover Memo or Letter should also be included which appropriately presents the final project to your audience. This cover document is NOT included in the final page count requirement.

Proposal Rubric:

Your final proposal will be evaluated with attention to the following elements

·         Meets page requirement; (4 pages + a Cover and References page)

·         Mechanics, Usage, and Grammar

·         Addresses the ‘required’ elements addressed in the Proposal Checklist

·         Persuasive Quality: Demonstrates effective language and support to draw in an audience

·         Document design and layout

·         Follows APA format (for in-text citations and References page only.  All other parts should be formatted per business document formatting.)

Total Points     100

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Preparation and Revision Checklist

PROPOSALS

Your proposal must include all of the sections noted below as ‘Required’.  These are standard for any business proposal.

Elements marked as ‘optional’ may be omitted, but are often part of business proposals:

Required sections are 1 through 7:

1.    Introduction

·         Tells clearly what you propose to do?

·         Provides background information the readers will need or want?

·         Forecasts the rest of your proposal, if this would help your readers?

2.    Problem

·         Explains the problem, need, or goal of your proposed action?

·         Persuades your readers that the problem, need, or goal is important to them?

3.    Objectives

·         Relates your objectives directly to the problem, need, or goal you described?

·         Presents your objectives without naming your solution?

4.    Solution (often the longest section of a proposal)

·         Describes your solution in a way that assures your readers can understand it?

·         Persuades that your solution will achieve each of the objectives you described?

·         Persuades that your solution offers an especially desirable way of achieving the objectives?

·         Presents quality research that supports and clarifies your position and/or the overall problem being addressed

5.    Method

·         Describes clearly the steps you will follow in preparing the solution?

·         Persuades that the method you plan to use for creating the solution will work?

6.    Conclusion

·         Summarizes your key points?

·         Concludes the proposal on a positive note that builds confidence in your ability to do a good job?

7.    Graphics (See Chapter 12).  2 are needed

·         Included wherever readers would find them helpful or persuasive?

·         Look neat, attractive, and easy to read?

·         Referred to at the appropriate points in the prose?

·         Located where your readers can find them easily?

Optional sections are below (8 through 11)

8.    Resources

·         Persuades that you have or can obtain the needed resources?

·         Protects you and your employer by clearly identifying any resources your readers must supply?

·         Schedule

·         Tells when your project will be completed?

·         Persuades that you have scheduled your work reasonably and soundly?

·         Protects yourself and your employer by clearly stating what your readers must do in order for you to be able to meet your deadlines?

·         Includes a schedule chart, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

9.    Qualifications

·         If necessary, persuades that you have the ability to complete the project successfully?

10. Management

·         If your project is large, persuades that you will organize the people working on it effectively?

·         Includes an organizational chart, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

11. Costs

·         Persuades that you have presented all the costs?

·         Persuades that the costs are reasonable?

·         Protects you and your employer by including all your costs in your budget?

·         Includes a budget table, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

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