Con Ops
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The use of clear, informative Concept of Operations (ConOps) infographics is key to a proposal-winning strategy,
Writing a proposal for a U.S. government agency,
the military or for a multinational corporation
can be a monumental task. Through our work with
The Proposal Center, a premier proposal writing and development firm based in Orlando, Florida, we’ve been part of 1,000-plus-page proposals worth billions of dollars. When an entity is prepared to spend that kind of money, you want to be certain they understand why your proposal is the best option.
The problem
The awarding entity in a proposal wants to be certain whatever company that wins the contract can do the job efficiently and effectively. To ensure this, the awarding entity typically jams the request for proposal (RFP) with volumes of requirements and restrictions that define the job and how it should be done. It’s up to the companies bidding on the contract to tell the awarding entity that they understand the requirements, and have the best plan for accomplishing them. But with so many complexities in play that must be addressed, how can a company be certain the awarding entity understands their plan outlined in the proposal?
The solution
Proposal writers and development firms like The Proposal Center understand the power of infographics and data visualization, and the value they provide in written proposals. On the most basic level, infographics are tremendous space savers for proposals with page limits. They allow you to communicate concepts more clearly and effectively in less space.
However, most importantly, they allow companies to communicate very complex ConOps procedures by providing visual depictions of how and when tasks will be completed and by whom. Trying to describe the intricacies of a BOS contract in words alone in a way that is easily understood by the awarding entity and in a page-limited proposal is a non-starter. An info graphic ConOps like this one provides immediate visual clarity for the awarding entity.
Testimony from Client
“Our client was looking to us to create an exceptionally unique proposal in response to an RFP released to acquire a performance-based service provider for the Redstone Arsenal, a United States Army post near Huntsville Alabama. It was very important to demonstrate that our client had a complete understanding of this large military complex. Because the incumbent contract holder was also bidding against us, we had to prove that we had done our research and could step onto the scene without a huge learning curve. This required much in-depth research because this particular RFP was very complicated. The scope of work was very broad and included mail pickup and distribution, warehousing, receiving/storing/moving/
“Finding John felt like winning the lottery. I had been on a serious hunt for someone to compliment our team with an extensive knowledge and background in information graphics. His insight and background helped bring our product to the next level. His in-depth research to understand what he was visually portraying and passion to get it right was an invaluable resource in helping our clients achieve strategic visuals. He also served as inspiration to our design staff.”