Who Does What? Defining Clear Bid Team Roles & Responsibilities for Smoother Proposals

Confusion and Crossed Wires: The Unspoken Proposal Killer?

Ever been in a proposal meeting where everyone assumes someone else is handling the pricing section, only to discover days later that no one started it? Or perhaps you’ve seen two people unknowingly working on the same graphic, duplicating effort?

What I frequently observe is that even with a solid Proposal Development Schedule, proposal efforts derail because individual roles and specific responsibilities aren’t clearly defined and communicated from the outset. Assumptions become the enemy of progress.

Why Ambiguous Roles Lead to Proposal Pain

When team members aren’t crystal clear on their specific duties and who holds ultimate accountability for different proposal elements, chaos ensues. This lack of clarity results in:

• Dropped Batons: Critical tasks fall through the cracks because no one feels explicitly responsible.
• Duplicated Effort: Team members waste time working on the same things without coordination.
• Accountability Gaps: It becomes difficult to track progress or address issues when ownership is unclear. Who do you go to when a section is late or needs revision?
• Inconsistent Messaging: Different sections written without clear roles can lack a unified voice or strategic alignment.
• Increased Friction: Confusion over responsibilities often leads to frustration and tension within the bid team.

Having a schedule tells you what needs doing by when, but defining roles clarifies who is empowered and accountable for each piece, ensuring seamless collaboration.

Charting the Course: Establishing Clear Roles and Responsibilities

The solution lies in proactively defining and documenting the roles needed for your specific bid and assigning clear responsibilities using a Bid Team Roles & Responsibilities Matrix. Something I find incredibly valuable is doing this early, ideally during the kick-off meeting after the Bid-No Bid decision. Here’s how to approach it:

1. Identify Core Proposal Roles: Determine the key functions needed for this specific proposal. Common roles include:

   • Proposal Manager: Overall lead, manages the schedule, process, and team coordination.
   • Capture Manager/Sales Lead: Owns the client relationship and win strategy.
   • Technical Lead/Solution Architect: Defines the technical solution.
   • Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Provide specific content for technical, management, or other sections.
   • Pricing Specialist: Develops the cost proposal.
   • Writer/Editor: Ensures clarity, consistency, compliance, and persuasive language.
   • Graphic Designer: Creates visuals, charts, and diagrams.
   • Production Coordinator: Handles final formatting, printing, binding, and submission logistics.

2. Assign Individuals to Roles: Name the specific person filling each required role for this proposal. One person might fill multiple roles on smaller bids.

3. Define Specific Responsibilities: Don’t just list roles; outline the primary tasks and deliverables each role is accountable for. For example, the Technical Lead is responsible for drafting Section X (Technical Approach), reviewing SME input for technical accuracy, and developing solution diagrams.

4. Use a Matrix Format: Create a simple table or matrix listing the Role, Assigned Person, and Key Responsibilities/Tasks. This provides an easy-to-reference overview.

5. Communicate Clearly: Review the Roles & Responsibilities Matrix during the kick-off meeting. Ensure everyone understands their role and the roles of others. Make the matrix readily accessible throughout the proposal process (e.g., in your shared repository).

6. Reinforce Accountability: Use the matrix during check-in meetings to confirm progress against assigned responsibilities.

Formalizing roles removes ambiguity and empowers team members. Structured templates for defining these roles, like those offered by proposal experts at Klariti within their comprehensive template suites, ensure you cover the typical functions and responsibilities effectively. Clear roles are fundamental to efficient procurement response processes.

Next Steps: Strengthening Your Strategy Before Writing

You now have clarity on the schedule, the project deliverables, and who on your team is responsible for each part of the proposal development.

But before the team dives deep into writing their assigned sections, how do you ensure everyone is aligned on the strategy, the key win themes, and the overall approach?

In our next article, we’ll explore the importance of the Capture Review Meeting, a critical checkpoint for solidifying your strategy and solution before major writing effort begins.