{Oct 21, 2011

As requested, I’ve created a sample proposal loosely based on the one I showed in class.  This is for a project of modest scale. Often times an RFP (Request for Proposal), a proposal for a large project, or a project with a client whom is not familiar with you, will require more than I’ve included, such as a bio, a portfolio, case studies, or references.

How Magazine has published a redacted version of design firm Rogue Element’s winning proposal for a web design project for a law school.
Check out the introduction from How Magazine here
Check out the proposal here

Also, I’m posting a sample of an RFP from the textbook Professional Practice for Interior Designers, by Christine M. Piotrowski. As you might have guessed, this RFP is for an interior design project, but it might help clarify what an RFP may contain.

There is plenty of other useful information on the web about proposals:

• Graphic Designer Nigel Gordijk has a thorough article describing his approach to writing proposals for web design projects. Because its written with a focus on web design projects, some aspects of his approach are more relevant to your task than others, but you’ll see the purpose is the same.
• Deep in the Core77 archives there is an article about freelancing that has some comments on the importance of a good proposal to securing work. Although there are some tips that are irrelevant in a technological sense, its an interesting read.
• This article from the “Career Lab”, though seemingly not at all related to design, provides some good advice about how a proposal fits into winning a job. It also makes some remarks about the legal stability of proposals, despite the article starting with a legal disclaimer.

f Christopher