The Role of the Engineer in Preparing Proposals

Many articles and papers have been written about proposals, i.e., how to write proposals, how to sell in proposals, the importance of proposals, the do´s and don´ts in proposal writing, etc. However, few, if any, are directed specifically at the engineer and his problems. The purpose of the subject paper is to define the role of the engineer in preparing proposals. It includes definitions of the different types of proposals, their respective importance, and the engineer´s place in the proposal team. The paper goes on to discuss the anatomy of a proposal, the contribution the engineer is expected to make, and the engineer´s responsibilities in providing his contribution. The paper is concluded with a list of recommendations to help an engineer prepare himself so that he can make a positive contribution in preparing successful proposals.