Tools: The Right Resources and Facilities for Optimum Performance

The proposal operation must be designed for efficiency. This includes having the equipment necessary to do the job and the specialized tools to operate at peak effectiveness:

• Proposal generation software

• Individual workstations, fully networked and equipped with up-to-date office productivity software (given the realities of the marketplace, I recommend Microsoft Office for consistency across the enterprise and with the vast majority of clients)

• Printers, phones, faxes, and high-bandwidth access to the Internet to facilitate collaboration within the center and with internal clients

• Whiteboards, flip charts, libraries of resource material, and other materials for planning and managing proposal projects

• Easy access to electronic stores of reusable content and other information

A few years ago I would have added that the proposal unit needs a dedicated workspace where team members can collaborate. That seems less important now. Working remotely has become such a standard part of doing business that the only concern is whether or not employees have sufficient bandwidth to participate in a Web-hosted meeting and whether they can sort out the time zones.