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This guide explains how CMG clients evaluate opportunities, determine whether to pursue a bid, and prepare proposals for submission.
It walks you through the required decision steps, evaluation tools, and responsibilities before CMG begins proposal development and before any bid is submitted.
This checklist is designed to reduce risk, confirm readiness, and prevent missed requirements or last minute issues.
🧭 Step 1. Go No Go Decision Framework
This is the first and most important step.
Every opportunity must pass a Go No Go decision before scoring tools or AI are used.
The goal is simple. Decide whether the opportunity is winnable, executable, and worth committing resources to.
You should evaluate:
• Whether the scope of work truly matches what your business does
• Whether the timeline is realistic for your team
• Whether the submission method is achievable
• Whether there are red flags, restrictive requirements, or unusual risks
Critical rule
Approval is not interest.
Approval authorizes CMG to begin proposal work.
If the opportunity cannot be executed or reasonably won, the correct action is Pass.
Outcome
A clear Go or No Go position before moving forward.
🎯 Step 2. CMG Bid Success Estimator
Once the opportunity passes an initial Go No Go review, use CMG’s Bid Success Estimator to score competitiveness.
This is the primary Go No Go scoring tool and should be completed before Pepper AI is used.
The Bid Success Estimator evaluates four required areas.
Technical Approach
Can you produce a compliant work plan that aligns with the scope, and do you have the experience and capacity to execute it.
Staffing Plan and Key Personnel
Do proposed personnel meet all RFP qualifications, are they available, and how much outsourcing is required.
Prior Experience
Do you have verifiable government past performance that matches scope, size, and complexity, with references that can be contacted.
Price and Cost Analysis
Do you understand the agency’s budget or prior contract value, the competitive landscape, and how to price the bid responsibly.
Decision rule
If multiple areas are weak or unknown, the correct decision is No Go.
Outcome
A defensible, risk based Go No Go decision supported by scoring.
🤖 Step 3. Pepper AI Context and Decision Support
Pepper AI is used after Go No Go review and scoring to validate readiness and reduce oversight risk.
Before Pepper AI can provide meaningful analysis, your business context must be established and kept current.
What Pepper AI uses as context
Core capabilities, certifications, staffing strengths, past performance, pricing approach, and prior technical assistance history.
How Pepper AI supports decisions
Pepper AI compares the RFP against your stored business context to flag:
• Missing or overlooked requirements
• Misalignment between scope and capabilities
• Staffing or experience gaps
• Unrealistic timelines or risk indicators
Pepper AI does not approve or reject opportunities. It highlights issues so you can make a better informed decision.
Important reminder
Pepper AI does not replace reading the RFP, completing the Bid Success Estimator, or exercising business judgment.
Outcome
Increased confidence that the opportunity has been fully reviewed.
Step 4. Proposal Staging and Technical Draft Development
Once a Go decision is formally approved, CMG technical writers will begin staging your proposal in a shared Google Drive workspace.
What happens during this step
CMG organizes, structures, and drafts the proposal so it follows the RFP requirements and aligns with how agencies evaluate submissions.
CMG technical writers will:
• Create a proposal folder structure that mirrors the RFP
• Stage all required sections, instructions, and attachments
• Draft technical narrative content based on the approved scope
• Align language to evaluation criteria and scoring factors
• Ensure compliance with formatting rules, page limits, and instructions
This step focuses on technical clarity and compliance only. Business strategy and pricing decisions are handled separately by the client.
Timeline guidance
Proposal staging and technical draft development typically takes about 3 business days, more or less, depending on RFP complexity and how complete your materials are when work begins.
Go No Go decisions should be submitted within approximately 3 business days, more or less, after opportunity intake to allow sufficient time to build a compliant proposal template.
Clients should plan for at least 2 to 3 weeks of lead time before the bid due date for full proposal development.
All proposal materials, inputs, and required documents must be complete 24 to 48 hours before bid submission, whether submitted by mail, online platform, or email for an adequate quality assurance review.
Client responsibilities
You are responsible for reviewing all RFP requirements, monitoring amendments and addenda, and confirming the accuracy and completeness of your proposal responses before submission.
CMG is not responsible for late submissions, incomplete materials, or technical issues related to the submission platform or delivery method.
Business hours reminder
CMG operates Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time and is closed on major United States holidays. Please account for proposals due on Mondays or those that fall during or immediately after holiday periods.
Outcome
A structured, RFP aligned draft proposal prepared for your review, edits, and pricing input.
