Writing a proposal the customer can say yes to
For account executives, account managers and bid writers who already know what a proposal contains and how to avoid unsupported promises (see 'Writing a proposal the buyer can approve'). This course goes further on how proposals are judged: mapping every instruction and evaluation criterion to an answer, putting the decision first, writing in plain language and giving evaluators evidence they can score. It uses the US Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to explain how a formal evaluation works and GOV.UK and Digital.gov plain-language guidance for the writing. Federal rules apply only to US federal purchases; other buyers set their own process, and it is not legal advice or contracting advice. Your company's proposal template and approval rules take priority.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Length
- About 74 minutes
- Contents
- 5 lessons · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 10 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Explain how a formal evaluation scores a proposal against the buyer's stated factors
- Build a compliance matrix that maps every instruction and evaluation criterion to an answer
- Structure a proposal so the decision and the most important facts come first
- Rewrite proposal sentences in plain language: active voice, short sentences, explained terms
- Write evidence for each evaluation factor that an evaluator can score
Course outline
- 1.How a formal evaluation scores a proposalLesson · 14 min
- 2.Building a compliance matrixLesson · 15 min
- 3.Putting the decision and key facts firstLesson · 13 min
- 4.Rewriting proposal sentences in plain languageLesson · 13 min
- 5.Writing evidence an evaluator can scoreLesson · 12 min
- 6.Writing a proposal the customer can say yes to: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 13 questions
- 7.Writing a proposal the customer can say yes to: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 8.Final exam10 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- FAR 15.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors (Acquisition.gov)
- FAR 15.305 Proposal evaluation (Acquisition.gov)
- FAR 15.204-5 Part IV: Representations and instructions (Sections K, L and M)
- GOV.UK content and publishing guidance: Create a clear structure for your content
- GOV.UK content and publishing guidance: Use clear language
- Digital.gov plain language guide: Writing
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.