How To Write Proposals The following are examples of proposals for obtaining grants: To: Acme From: John Smith Date: 1 January 19XX PROPOSAL #1-Feasibility study of meat by ionizing radiation Subj.: Description of my report project Here is the information on my report project that you requested. I've included a brief discussion of what I plan to include in the report, who the audience of the report will be, what my own background on the topic is, and what graphic aids will be needed in the final report. A tentative outline concludes this memo. Report Topic and Contents I plan to do a general feasibility study of the preservation of meat by ionizing radiation. The report will investigate the possibility of ionizing radiation as a replacement for present-day chemical preservatives in meat products. I plan to show that radiation processes can be more effective for killing bacteria, preserving the food for longer periods of time, and making the food more wholesome and safe overall. The report will also compare and suggest which types of irradiation are best for meat preservation. The equipment needed in the process will be discussed in addition to any possible dangers this new process may present to humans. I'll also review cost comparisons. In the introduction there will be a brief history of food preservation and of early uses of radiation for preservation. Audience and Purpose of the Report This study will be directed toward the meat packing industry in an effort to encourage it to change its present preservation methods. I will try to show meat-packing companies that, with several important criteria, irradiation is preferable to current methods. My Background and Library Sources on the Topic At this point, I know only the basics of radiation chemistry, and I will need to research food preservation and apply my chemistry background in this area. Having begun my preliminary library search, I'm sure that there are plenty of printed resources on the topic, both in and out of the library. The biggest problem I foresee is finding specific costs of the irradiation process, but with letters of inquiry to organizations involved in this new preservation method, I expect to overcome this problem. Graphic Aids Needed in the Report There will be no problem finding and using graphic aids for this report. Most of the graphics will be comparison charts showing the advantages and disadvantages of various sources of radiation. Other charts will compare this new method of food preservation to older methods, focusing on bacteria growth, length of storage time, color of meat, and other characteristics of effective meat preservation. I will also include pictures of the process at various stages and the different equipment used. Tentative Outline of the Project Here is a tentative outline of the report; I'll keep you informed of changes in it as they occur: I. History of food preservation and use of radiation in this field II. Comparison of chemical to radiation preservation III. Effectiveness of radiation preservation IV. Sources of radiation V. Installation of radiation equipment in factories VI. Cost of the new process compared to the old VII. Safety and consumer acceptance of radiation preservation PROPOSAL #2- Feasibility Report for an Employee Wellness Program Explanation of Who You are No, I'm not being metaphysical here. I'm just attaching a note explaining who you will pretend to be as you read my proposal. You will imagine that you are the personnel manager of the Automation Division of the Highway Department. The Automation Division employs approximately three hundred people. As you can tell from the name, the Automation Division employs mostly sedentary workers: analysts, programmers, managers, opertors, and technicians. The personnel manager is the liaison between the Human Resources Division of the Highway Department and the employees of the Automation Division. This person is responsible for informing employees of any changes in departmental policy that will affect employees' health, safety, or finances. M E M O R A N D U M TO: Acme FROM: John Smith DATE: January 1, 19XX RE: Proposal to Write a Feasibility Report for an Employee Wellness Program The following is a proposal to conduct a feasibility study for the personnel section on the need for, and the benefits to be expected from, instituting an employee wellness program for the Automation Division of the Highway Department. The following proposal contains background on the need for and benefits from a wellness program, an outline of the work I plan to do, my qualifications, and a schedule. This study may have to be expanded to include the entire department. I understand that the Automation Division cannot arbitrarily effect such a drastic policy change. I look forward to hearing your ideas on the scope of this feasibility report. Need for a Wellness Program Current work and home schedules prevent employees from exercising enough. Current health insurance policies focus on curing illnesses rather than prventing them. Medical research has proven that healthy choices can prevent many diseases. The current system has resulted in steeply increasing group health insurance costs. Also, current budget restrictions force us to think of new ways to increase employee productivity. Benefits of a Wellness Program In the report, I will document the following: (1) wellness programs produce healthier employees, (2) healthy employees are more productive, (3) healthy employees file fewer health insurance claims, (4) healthy employees live longer, and (5) employee group health insurance costs will decrease. Report Audience I will address the report to you. However, I will target the report to the administration of the Highway Department and to the directors of the Employees Retirement System. As you know, the ERS negotiates and administers our group health insurance plans. My Qualifications I have worked for the Highway Department for thirteen years. I have been in the Automation Division for eight years. I have an eleven-year old son. I go to night school at Austin Community College. Therefore, I have personal experience with how difficult it is to find enough time during the day to exercise or to prepare healthy, nutritious meals. I have no experience in the medical or actuarial fields. However, I know that I can find documentation to support the establishment of a wellness program. Please review the tentative bibliography. Plan for Feasibility Report I will deliver the report to your office on April 26, 1990. Here is my plan for completing the project: 1. Library research - hrough March 15 2. Correspondence - through March 5 3. Review correspondence received - finish March 23 4. Conduct interviews - finish March 30 5. Write preliminary draft - finish April 18 6. Produce graphics - finish April 23 7. Finalize preliminary draft - finish April 25 8. Deliver preliminary draft - on April 2 Costs There will be no costs involved in producing this study, other than the minimal costs of an hour a day for the next four weeks to do the study and write the report, and costs for typing, binding, and duplicating the report. List of Graphics A list of graphics I plan to use is presented here: 1. Health and longevity relationship 2. Health and absenteeism relationship 3. Reduction in health insurance costs by companies that have wellness programs 4. Cost of wellness programs versus cost of health insurance 5. Recent increases in group health insurance rates Tentative Outline I. Introduction A. Description of wellness programs B. History of wellness programs II. Need for a Wellness Program A. Need to contain rising health insurance costs 1. Private sector costs 2. Public sector costs B. Need to increase productivity 1. Budget restrictions 2. Workplace constraints 3. Employee-related problems III. Benefits of a Wellness Program A. Healthier employees B. More productive employees C. Lower health costs IV. Instituting a Wellness Program A. Workplace changes B. Education needs 1. Nutrition education 2. Exercise education 3. Substance abuse counseling C. Cost D. Policy changes V. Conclusion A. Summarize benefits B. Summarize costs C. Recommend action TENTATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY List of references. PROPOSAL #3-The Operation and Maintenance Handbook for Purchasers of the M-16A2 Rifle Dear Mr. Jones, The following proposal outlines the details discussed in our prior conversation on the proposal. It also gives information deadlines, our bid, the graphics, and a tentative outline of the handbook. This report also includes our sources for information on the rifle. Thank you for your time and you may contact me during business hours at the following number: 512-259-3930. Sincerely, John Smith. Attached: proposal PROPOSAL: HANDBOOK FOR THE R-7 RIFLE The following is a proposal to develop a handbook that will cover the operation and maintenance of the R-7 rifle. This proposal contains information on the contents of the proposed manual, the audience level we are assuming, our schedule to complete this project, our costs and charges, and our qualifications to produce a high-quality finished handbook. It will also have pictures and graphs to familiarize the purchaser with the rifle. The handbook will be classified as a technical background and instructional handbook. Our company will write, edit, and correct any errors found n the initial draft or in later drafts. We will print the final copy and ship it in cases of 1,000 copies. Our initial charge to write and correct the handbook will be $2,500.00. The base cost for the handbooks will be $145.00 plus shipping and handling. The rest of this proposal gives more detail on the specific outline and areas of the handbook and a timetable on getting the handbook finished. Audience and Purpose The handbook will be written primarily to purchasers but may also be used by gunsmiths, gun enthusiasts, the military, gun clubs, and anyone else wishing to train people in operation and maintenance of this rifle. No technical knowledge about firearms on the readers' part will be assumed. Also, we will develop the handbook at the standard 8th-grade reading level. Description of the Handbook This handbook should enable any person with a high school diploma to operate and perform preventive maintenance on the R-7. This handbook will contain graphics; technical background; firing techniques; and information on how to clean, disassemble, and reassemble the rifle. Graphics. The graphics used in this report will consist of tables, drawings, and pictures. The tables will show the reader technical characteristics such as bullet size, chamber pressure, muzzle velocity, types of ammunition, and information on the sighting of the weapon for different distances such as 200 m, 300 m, and 500 m. Also, many pictures or drawings will be used to illustrate the varius stages of disassembly, assembly and cleaning of the rifle. Technical Background. The handbook will give technical background on the rifle in the form of all the information involving the firing of the weapon, such as muzzle velocity, maximum effective range for different size target and other technical information that is of value to an owner, operator, or collector. This handbook will have information on how to clean and do preventive maintenance on the weapon but will not contain any information on major maintenance such as bent barrels, bent sights, and worn-out firing pins. For all major repairs, the owner will be directed to take the... Handbook Outline The instruction in the handbook will focus mainly on disassembly, reassembly, and cleaning instructions. These instructions will be in detail so as to give a first time gun buyer enough instructions to clean the rifle properly. Following is a working outline describing how the handbook will be produced and laid out. This outline will include enough detail to explain the major sections and any minor sections that may not be obvious. I. Introduction: will contain information on the history of the rifle and its manufacturer. It also will have illustrations of rifle parts. A. Technical characteristics: will contain information on the technical characteristics of the rifle and this information will be backed up with charts. B. Ammunition: will contain information on different types of ammunition that can be used with this weapon and their technical characteristics. II. Operation A. Loading: procedure to load the weapon and safety warnings will be included. B. Firing: will include what to do in a case of a misfire or jamming. Safety warnings and how to adjust sights will also be included. III. Maintenance A. Cleaning the weapon: will include disassembly and assembly. 1. disassembly 2. cleaning 3. assembly B. Proper Storage: how to store rifle for long periods C. Repairs and Warranty: where to get a rifle repaired whether or not warranty is in effect. Qualifications Qualifications for this handbook are as follows: * We have eighty years combined experience among six partners. * We have won ten other contracts for weapons handbooks from XYZ Inc.. * Experienced typesetters and artists who can do drawings and charts. * Five of six partners are experienced with this weapon through military experience. Costs We propose to handle the commercial printing of this handbook and will ship it to you in cases of 100 copies. Our initial charge to write, edit, review, and develop graphics for the handbook is $25,000 (we can provide a breakdown of these charges if desired). Information Sources The bibliography will consist of many military pamphlets. The partners of our corporation have written to friends, who are still in the military, for the latest information and pamphlets. Following are some books we have found to use for research: List of references More books will be obtained for this research. Project Checkpoint Dates The time schedule for this project will be as follows: March 5 Proposal returned, begin work. March 12 Outline section on Introduction completed. Sent to Mr. Jackson for review. March 19 Outline section on Operation completed. Sent to Mr. Jackson for review. Correct problems in introduction section. March 26 Outline section on Maintenance completed. Sent to Mr. Jackson for review. Correct problems in other sections. April 12 Meeting with Mr. Jackson to review possible corrections. April 9 Completed copy sent to Mr. Jackson. April 16 Meeting with Mr. Jackson for final review. April 23 First order sent to Mr. Jackson. These dates are not set, but are tentative. Go back to the Business Development Section