Most Government contractors think an executive summary for a Federal proposal is only for the technical volume. If you choose to use an executive summary for only the technical proposal because you think the evaluators will only read that one, you have missed out on a big opportunity. A strategic pricing® executive summary has six important anatomy components of a great price volume. Read on if you are intrigued by a strategic pricing® executive summary that is dedicated to crafting the price story.

Pricing is Unique
The price volume is unique. It requires tremendous attention to detail, a complete pricing strategy to get to the right price, and a written document that goes beyond producing sawdust. A great strategic pricing® executive summary is written for the business evaluator and leader of the overall competitive procurement. It is not a copy and pastes from the technical volume. The readers and those making the decisions about your proposal from a price perspective are looking for well-constructed price documentation and tables.  They are also reading about what you say about your price. Make it different for this vital audience.

Pricing Theme
Every winning proposal has a major thematic message about the highlights of why your price and what you offer is the right choice for the Government customer. If you miss out on providing that right from the beginning of the price volume, you have lost the possibility of making the paramount price impression on your evaluator. It is a high-level overview that brings the reader into the impact of the advantages of your price solution – both by the numbers and the added significance you bring.

Value Proposition
Creating a truly meaningful value proposition that translates into saving time, money, and resources will also bring significance to your customer. That makes sense. If you do not know that your solutions do at least one of these, then why are you bidding on the project? If you do, then that is a fabulous reason to bid IF you can confirm for the customer clearly how you will do that using high-impact visuals of the features and benefits you bring to them. Your competition will likely not do this, and your customer will consider them a riskier choice.

High-Impact Visuals
Pricing visuals will always change the way the evaluator views the price and receives the message you want to convey.  While there is no requirement for visuals, your narrative is boring to read, takes time, and may not carry the entire message. Remember a picture takes up less room, is pleasing to see, makes an impact on the reader, and with the right caption will hit the reader with just what you want them to take away. It is interesting and unlike what your competition will do.

Monetize
Now, let’s go one step further by assessing (in round dollar figures) the monetary meaning of those savings or investments you bring to your customer in your strategic price. Remember, no one is going to audit the figure! Keep it approximate. If you are bettering the customer’s situation, you are different from your competitor. This is data at its finest. Share monetary payback or savings that your price brings to the customer – it is your competitive advantage. Use it and portray it proudly.

Takeaway Message
Leave your customer wanting you. Your price narrative can be sawdust if you let it be. Make it so unique with the strategic pricing® executive summary containing the respect and evidentiary advantages you bring so that the customer can easily understand, that they almost use your words to validate their choice of you. A great price may not be the lowest, but it conveys the best merit.

Read more on creating your own Executive Summary.

 

 

Marsha Lindquist
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