2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU1 Proposals and Progress Reports

2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports

Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU 1

Proposals and Progress Reports



Class 13 outline Proposals

What is it???? Formal vs Informal Layout and format

Progress Reports What is it??? Format and content Progress Report Checklist

Proposals “Proposals are among the most important

documents one can write.” Good proposals win and are awarded contracts. Proposals are used everywhere

Building buildings, building bridges Constructing a home Remodeling in a home * * * Doing basic research in a given field such as ECE



What does a proposal do? Offer a persuasive solution to a problem. Idea must be communicated effectively Reader needs to be sold that “you” can solve his

problem. What you need to do.

1) Describe the problem in detail such that the reader knows you understand it.

2) Show you have a solution. 3) Show you can effect your solution.



Proposal writing Usually the person/agency that has issued the

Request For Proposals (RFP) also has a specific format for the proposal. May be limited to just margins, font, spacing, etc. May also specify sections to be included

NSF – have points that need to be covered -- Broader impact -- Intellectual Merit

Will also specify if a cover letter is needed



Also note the examples Student proposal for a class project – pg.101 Note structure presented



Progress Reports Proposal written and won contract Contract awarded Work begun and now ongoing

BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING

INQUIRING SPONSOR MINDS WANT TO KNOW!!!



Or in this class Have picked problem Have done a little initial work on the problem But where are you at on creating the proposal???

What is the current status

Company may not call it a progress report. Likely will have meetings where you have to orally report on the current status of the project.



Progress Report (2) Also called a status report Tells the sponsor (or supervisor/boss)

THE CURRENT STATUS What has been accomplished Problems encountered – A MUST On schedule Within Budget



Progress Reports (3)

Always inform your sponsor of problems!!!!

Never risk them hearing of problems through other channels!!!!!!!!!!!!



3 points to cover Review

Briefly - the original problem and scope down to what this progress report covers.

Set Context Describe

What you have been doing during the period/to solve the sub-problem covered by the report

Evaluate The performance on each task and the overall project Are you on schedule?



Progress Report Format Could be specified by contract Use a general format that covers required points

Use examples in text Use an existing progress report that was previously

written for sponsor If you are using the progress report effectively,

writing the final report may/should simply be seaming the progress reports together.



Problem Statement Assignment Development of the start of the proposal Background Statement of the problem to be solved

The RFP give a statement of the problem and maybe a little background

This is restatement in your own words. Possibly a refinement from the RFP or in the case

where the RFP is vague is very specific as to the problem being addressed.

2/2/09 - L14 Patents Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU 13

Two upcoming assignments The progress report – where are you at on the work on

the proposal – Will be both oral and written. Submit written report

and slides to dropbox. Oral report in class next Monday and Wednesday.

Time – will have 6 minutes. When timer goes off you are done!

Talk points – problem statement summary, proposed solutions and which is most promising, proposal preparation status, proposed task schedule, proposed budget



Documents

2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress Reports Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU1 Proposals and Progress Reports