Commercial Proposal Writer

Purpose

• Write compelling, complete commercial proposals for consulting engagements.
• Integrate solution architecture, business case, pricing, and commercial terms into a cohesive document.
• Produce the bridge artifact that connects the commercial pipeline to the PM delivery pipeline.
• Apply the Proposal Pyramid framework (Executive Summary → Solution → Investment → Proof).

Critical Bridge

The preliminary workplan-and-estimate.md produced by this skill is the EXACT input for project-intake-and-charter in the PM suite. This is how commercial handoff to delivery works.

Inputs

• solution-brief-{slug}.md: Output from commercial-solution-design (required).
• discovery-notes-{slug}.md: Output from commercial-discovery (for context).
• qualification-scorecard-{slug}.md: Output from commercial-qualification (validates pursuit decision and branch).
• prospect-profile-{slug}.md: Output from commercial-prospecting (company/contact context).
• discovery-proposal-deliverables.md (Branch B post-Discovery only): When this opportunity follows a completed Discovery engagement, include the Discovery deliverables as context. Reference the Discovery in the proposal — it demonstrates prior investment and reduces client skepticism about scope.
• commercial-state.md: Current pipeline state.
• user_input: Pricing parameters, team rates, specific terms, client preferences, competitive context.

Branch context: Check the opportunity branch in commercial-state.md:

• Branch A: Standard implementation proposal. No prior Discovery. Estimation carries +/- 30% caveat if relevant.
• Branch B (post-Discovery): Implementation proposal following a completed Discovery engagement. The proposal should reference the Discovery outputs as the basis for scope and estimation. Estimation carries +/- 20% confidence. Optionally include a brief "What the Discovery Revealed" section to reinforce the value of the prior investment and justify the proposed approach.

Proposal Pyramid Framework (CLOSE)

Structure every proposal using the CLOSE framework. See references/proposal-frameworks.md for detailed structure, writing guidelines, anti-patterns, and review checklist.

C — Context: Demonstrate deep understanding of the client's situation and challenges. L — Loss: Quantify what they lose by NOT acting (cost of inaction). O — Outcome: Paint the picture of the desired future state and its business value. S — Solution: Present the specific approach, phases, and deliverables. E — Evidence: Provide proof through case studies, methodologies, team credentials.

Win Factor Awareness

Research shows proposal win factors weight as follows:

• 40% Relationship & Trust
• 25% Solution Fit
• 20% Presentation Quality
• 15% Pricing

Invest most effort in demonstrating understanding and trust. The "Understanding Your Situation" and "Executive Summary" sections carry the most weight.

Pricing Models for Consulting

Select the appropriate model (or combine) based on engagement characteristics. See references/pricing-models.md for detailed guidance on each model, rate card structures, discount strategy, ROI templates, objection handling, and margin considerations.

Model	Best For	Risk Distribution
Time & Materials (T&M)	Uncertain scope, evolving requirements, advisory	Client bears scope risk
Fixed Price	Well-defined scope, clear deliverables, short engagements	Consultant bears scope risk
Outcome-Based	Measurable business outcomes, performance improvement	Shared risk, high reward potential
Retainer	Ongoing advisory, fractional CTO/architect, continuous support	Predictable for both sides
Blended / Hybrid	Phased engagements mixing discovery (T&M) + delivery (fixed)	Risk distributed by phase

Workflow

1. Compile Inputs: Gather solution brief, discovery notes, qualification scorecard.
2. Determine Pricing Strategy: Select pricing model(s), calculate total investment, structure payment milestones.
3. Build Proposal Pyramid: Structure content following CLOSE framework.
4. Write Proposal Sections: Draft each section (see output template below).
5. Generate Workplan & Estimate: Create the preliminary WBS + hours + cost document.
6. Internal Review Checklist: Verify all sections are complete and consistent.

Outputs (contract)

Output 1: commercial-proposal-{company-slug}.md

# Commercial Proposal: {Opportunity Name}
## {Company Name}

**Prepared by**: {Consulting Firm}
**Date**: YYYY-MM-DD
**Valid until**: YYYY-MM-DD (typically 30 days)
**Version**: 1.0

---

## 1. Executive Summary
[CLOSE framework: Context → Loss → Outcome → Solution → Evidence in condensed form. Max 1 page / 400 words. This section must stand alone — a busy executive should understand the entire proposal from this section.]

## 2. Understanding Your Situation (Context)
### Current State
[Demonstrate deep understanding of the client's situation — drawn from discovery notes]
### Challenges
[Specific pain points, quantified where possible]
### Cost of Inaction
[What happens if they don't address these challenges — the "Loss" element]

## 3. Proposed Approach (Solution)
### Solution Overview
[High-level approach, drawn from solution brief]
### Delivery Phases

#### Phase 0: {Name} — {Duration}
- **Objective**: 
- **Key Activities**:
  - Activity 1
  - Activity 2
- **Deliverables**:
  - Deliverable 1
  - Deliverable 2
- **Success Criteria**:
  - Criterion 1

[Repeat for each phase]

### Methodology
[Brief description of how the team works: Agile, iterative, regular demos, weekly syncs, etc.]

## 4. Expected Outcomes (Outcome)
- Outcome 1: [quantified business value]
- Outcome 2: [quantified business value]
- Outcome 3: [quantified business value]

### ROI Projection
[If quantifiable: estimated ROI calculation. If not: qualitative value statement]

## 5. Team & Governance
### Proposed Team

| Role | Name (if known) | Allocation | Rate Category |
|------|----------------|-----------|--------------|
| | | | |

### Governance Model
- **Steering Committee**: [frequency, attendees]
- **Progress Reports**: [frequency, format]
- **Escalation Path**: [how issues are escalated]
- **Change Management**: [how scope changes are handled]

## 6. Investment

### Pricing Model: {T&M / Fixed / Outcome-Based / Retainer / Blended}

### Fee Summary

| Phase | Hours | Rate | Amount |
|-------|-------|------|--------|
| | | | |
| **Subtotal** | | | |
| Discount (if any) | | | |
| **Net Total** | | | **$XXX** |

### Payment Schedule

| Milestone | Trigger | Amount | Due Date |
|-----------|---------|--------|----------|
| | | | |

### What's Included
- Item 1
- Item 2

### What's Not Included
- Item 1
- Item 2

## 7. Why Us (Evidence)
### Relevant Experience
[1-2 brief case studies or project summaries showing similar work]
### Methodology & Quality
[Key differentiators: approach, tools, certifications]
### Client References
[Available upon request, or list if permitted]

## 8. Terms & Conditions
### Engagement Terms
- **Start Date**: Proposed YYYY-MM-DD (subject to SOW execution)
- **Duration**: X months
- **Location**: Remote / On-site / Hybrid
- **Travel & Expenses**: [included / billed at cost / not applicable]

### Key Terms
- Intellectual property: [work product ownership]
- Confidentiality: [mutual NDA reference]
- Termination: [notice period, typically 30 days]
- Change requests: [process for scope changes]

## 9. Next Steps
1. Review proposal and provide feedback by YYYY-MM-DD
2. Schedule proposal walkthrough meeting
3. Finalize SOW and commercial terms
4. Target engagement start: YYYY-MM-DD

---

**Contact**: {Name}, {Title}, {Email}, {Phone}

Output 2: workplan-and-estimate-{company-slug}.md

Follow the format from the existing PM suite's workplan template:

# Workplan and Estimate — {Project Name}

PM: {Name}
Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Summary: {Brief summary of scope and objective}

## WBS / Activity Details
- 1. {Activity} — Hours: X — Rate: $X — Subtotal: $X
- 2. {Activity} — Hours: X — Rate: $X — Subtotal: $X
[continue for all WBS items]

Total hours: X
Hourly rate / Blended rate: $X
Subtotal: $X
Discount: X% (-$X)
Net before VAT: $X
VAT (if applicable): $X
Total: $X

## Approval Required
- Owners: {names}
- Deadline: 48 business hours from submission

Suggested decision-log entry:
| D-XX | YYYY-MM-DD | Workplan and Estimate Approval | Approver: {name} |

This workplan-and-estimate IS the input artifact for project-intake-and-charter in the PM suite, creating the bridge between commercial and delivery.

Updated: commercial-state.md — Move opportunity to proposal stage, update value, probability, next_action.

Guardrails

1. Never send a proposal without prior discovery — proposals built on assumptions lose.
2. Proposal must tell a story: CLOSE framework must flow naturally, not feel like a checklist.
3. Never include rates or pricing without user validation — always ask for confirmation of rate cards.
4. Investment section must be crystal clear — no ambiguity about what's included and excluded.
5. Always include a "What's Not Included" section — prevent scope disputes from day one.
6. Workplan must be consistent with proposal — hours, phases, and amounts must match exactly.
7. Validity period is mandatory — proposals expire (default 30 days).
8. Terms are commercial, not legal — always flag that legal review is recommended for actual contracts.
9. Never badmouth competitors — differentiate positively.
10. Proposals must be self-contained — readable without external context.
11. Win factors awareness: 40% relationship, 25% solution fit, 20% presentation quality, 15% pricing. Write accordingly.
12. Anti-patterns to avoid: Feature-dumping without connecting to pain, burying the price, vague scope, no clear next steps, no exec summary.

Example: Executive Summary using CLOSE Framework

Scenario: Data Platform Modernization proposal for Acme Corp.

Executive Summary

Acme Corp has built a strong analytics culture over the past five years, but the on-premise data warehouse that powers your reporting is reaching capacity limits — query times have tripled in the past 12 months, and the data engineering team spends 60% of its time on maintenance rather than new insights. (Context)

Without intervention, this trajectory means: $2.4M/year in analyst idle time, 3-month delays for new data products, and growing risk of a production outage that could blind executive decision-making for days. (Loss)

The target state is a cloud-native data platform that delivers sub-second query performance, self-service analytics for 200+ business users, and 80% reduction in maintenance overhead — freeing the data team to focus on strategic initiatives. (Outcome)

We propose a 4-phase modernization program over 6 months: Assessment & Design (4 weeks), Core Platform Build (8 weeks), Migration & Integration (8 weeks), and Optimization & Enablement (4 weeks). Our approach prioritizes zero-downtime migration and parallel running to eliminate business risk. (Solution)

Our team has delivered 12 similar migrations in the past 3 years, including a $3M program for a Fortune 500 retailer that achieved 94% query performance improvement and full ROI within 9 months. (Evidence)

Example Scenario

Input: Solution brief for Acme Corp (architecture modernization, L-size, 850h, $150/hr blended, 4-person team). User says: "Use T&M for Phase 0 and Fixed for Phases 1-4. Offer 5% discount for full program commitment."

Output: Complete commercial proposal with CLOSE-structured narrative + workplan-and-estimate showing:

• Phase 0: T&M, 120h × $150 = $18,000
• Phases 1-4: Fixed at $110,250 (730h × $150 = $109,500, rounded)
• Total: $127,500 - 5% discount = $121,125
• Payment: 30% on SOW, 30% at Phase 2 start, 30% at Phase 3 complete, 10% on final delivery