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> Thanks for all the feedback. John P., I was the one you originally sent the
> message to and I have it on file. I get the impression that most people who
> responded, with one exception, get involved when the direction is set and it
> needs to be put on paper. My experience is very different. I have been working
> on defining a process for responding to proposals, coordinating the responses
> and trying to get the management to make actual decisions. Our basic problem
> is that the managers try to reserve decisions for later in the writing
> process, when they really need to be made before writing begins. I've tried to
> build these decision points into our response process and I am now trying to
> develop some tools to make sure that they actually happen. Anyone else facing
> silimar situations?>
Indeed yes!
While I haven't done any contract proposals, I have done some grant
writing. A couple of years ago, I was part of the writing team on a
major proposal for the local public schools. I found myself more often
than not placed in the position of asking questions to help the school
personnel try to define exactly what they wanted to accomplish if they did
get the grant they were applying for. Without that knowledge, there was
no way to focus the proposal. And, naturally, with no focus, I felt much
like Alice in Wonderland--since I didn't know where I was going, it didn't
seem to much matter which direction I turned.
Frustrating? Definitely!
RoMay Sitze
rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu
InSitze in Print
Technical Editing and Design
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