Requests For Proposals (RFP) don't have to be a headache. "The Art of Creating a Quality RFP" shows you how to guarantee that your RFP will generate quality responses by presenting a step-by-step process that will guide any practitioners to obtain the most value for their organization. This book gives you templates for RFPs that have been tested in the real world and examples of tools of the trade. It walks you through each step of the RFP process in an easy and methodical manner. In every chapter you'll find "Power Thoughts" that reinforce the benefits of that chapter. Even seasoned professionals will benefit from the tried-and-true examples and tools that can be found in this book.
Requests for proposals are the gold standard in finding business suppliers, but not all RFPs are created equal. In "The Art of Creating a Quality RFP," procurement experts George Bordon and Steven Jeffery take the guesswork out of the RFP process by defining a framework that gets great results-and maximizes your time, money, and resources. Key to this framework is treating the RFP effort as a repeatable process that can be applied across any service or industry. The authors show precisely how to do this by defining the necessary elements-such as creating an RFP team, structuring the document, and negotiating effectively-that ensure high-quality responses. They also pinpoint the ways RFPs can go awry and how to avoid those costly pitfalls. Filled with examples, charts, tables, and insightful "Power Thoughts," "The Art of Creating a Quality RFP" is a highly readable resource replete with strategies, tips, and real-world advice. It's a concise yet indispensible guide for anyone who needs to find top-notch suppliers-and deliver exceptional value to their company through the competitive bidding process.
Despite its importance as an initial step in the development of major technical projects, the Request for Proposal (RFP) process rarely receives the professional attention it deserves. Used by government agencies and by private corporations to solicit proposals from contractors and vendors, the RFP document is the foundation for a successful project. A clearly written and properly organized RFP clarifies technical goals, communicates administrative and financial expectations, and sets the tone for good communication and a trusting and productive relationship between customer and contractor.
A state-of-the-art guide for developing grants witha strong emphasis on using program outcome measurement to underscore need and accountability Based on the authors' many years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, Effective Grant Writing and Program Evaluation for Human Service Professionals integrates the topics of grant proposal writing and program evaluation, offering grant seekers the practical guidance they need to develop quality proposals, obtain funding, and demonstrate service results and accountability. The authors clearly and succinctly illustrate and describe each stage of the grant writing and evaluation process. Problems or issues that arise frequently are highlighted and followed by specific advice. In addition, numerous real-world examples and exercises are included throughout the book to give readers the opportunity for reflection and practice. This timely reference incorporates a strengths perspective, providing: An inside look at the grant writing and evaluation processes, with insights from experienced grant writers, agency administrators, foundation program managers, and grant reviewers Specific examples of successful grant proposals and evaluation plans and instruments serving as models for learning and practice Field-tested individual and group exercises that facilitate the development of grant writing and evaluation skills Discussion of electronic technology in grant writing and evaluation, including writing and submitting grant proposals online, and identifying funding sources This grant writing and program evaluation guide follows a needs-driven, evidence-based, result-oriented, and client-centered perspective. Its authoritative discussion equips human service professionals to effectively develop grants with a strong emphasis on measuring program outcomes.
Public administration has evolved into an extraordinarily complex form of governance employing traditional bureaucracy, quasi-government public organizations, and collaborative networks of nongovernmental organizations. Analyzing and improving government performance—a matter of increasing concern to citizens, elected officials, and managers of the organizations themselves—has in turn become a much more fraught undertaking. Understanding the new complexities calls for new research approaches. The Art of Governance presents a fresh palette of research based on a new framework of governance that was first developed by coeditor Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., with Carolyn J. Heinrich, and Carolyn J. Hill in their book, Improving Governance: A New Logic for Empirical Research. That book identified how the relationships among citizens, legislatures, executive and organizational structures, and stakeholders interact, in order to better diagnose and solve problems in public management. This volume takes that relational concept into new realms of conceptualization and application as it links alternative institutional and administrative structures to program performance in different policy areas and levels of government. Collectively, the contributors begin to paint a new picture of how management matters throughout the policy process. They illuminate how, at different levels of an organization, leadership and management vary—and explore both the significance of structural systems and the importance of alternative organizational forms for the implementation of public policies. The Art of Governance shows that effective governance is much more complex than paint-by-number. But if the variety of forms and models of governance are analyzed using advanced theories, models, methods, and data, important lessons can be applied that can lead us to more successful institutions.
For those considering Extreme Programming, this book provides no-nonsense advice on agile planning, development, delivery, and management taken from the authors' many years of experience. While plenty of books address the what and why of agile development, very few offer the information users can apply directly.
Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Chapter 5. Knowing What to Comment; What NOT to Comment; Don't Comment Just for the Sake of Commenting; Don't Comment Bad Names--Fix the Names Instead; Recording Your Thoughts; Include "Director Commentary"; Comment the Flaws in Your Code; Comment on Your Constants; Put Yourself in the Reader's Shoes; Anticipating Likely Questions; Advertising Likely Pitfalls; "Big Picture" Comments; Summary Comments; Final Thoughts--Getting Over Writer's Block; Summary; Chapter 6. Making Comments Precise and Compact; Keep Comments Compact; Avoid Ambiguous Pronouns; Polish Sloppy Sentences.
