Proposals and Progress
Reports
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals & Progress
Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
1
Class 13 outline
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Proposals
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What is it????
Formal vs Informal
Layout and format
Progress Reports
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What is it???
Format and content
Progress Report Checklist
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
2
Proposals
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“Proposals are among the most important
documents one can write.”
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Good proposals win and are awarded contracts.
Proposals are used everywhere
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Building buildings, building bridges
Constructing a home
Remodeling in a home
***
Doing basic research in a given field such as ECE
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
3
What does a proposal do?
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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.
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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.
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
4
Proposal writing
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Usually the person/agency that has issued the
Request For Proposals (RFP) also has a
specific format for the proposal.
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May be limited to just margins, font, spacing, etc.
May also specify sections to be included
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NSF – have points that need to be covered
-- Broader impact
-- Intellectual Merit
Will also specify if a cover letter is needed
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
5
Also note the examples
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Student proposal for a class project – pg.101
Note structure presented
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
6
Progress Reports
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Proposal written and won contract
Contract awarded
Work begun and now ongoing
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BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING
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INQUIRING SPONSOR MINDS WANT TO
KNOW!!!
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2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
7
Or in this class
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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.
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
8
Progress Report (2)
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Also called a status report
Tells the sponsor (or supervisor/boss)
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THE CURRENT STATUS
What has been accomplished
Problems encountered – A MUST
On schedule
Within Budget
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
9
Progress Reports (3)
 Always
inform your sponsor
of problems!!!!
 Never risk them hearing of
problems through other
channels!!!!!!!!!!!!
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
10
3 points to cover
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Review
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Describe
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Briefly - the original problem and scope down to
what this progress report covers.
Set Context
What you have been doing during the period/to solve
the sub-problem covered by the report
Evaluate
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The performance on each task and the overall project
Are you on schedule?
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
11
Progress Report Format
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Could be specified by contract
Use a general format that covers required points
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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.
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
12
Problem Statement Assignment
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Development of the start of the proposal
Background
Statement of the problem to be solved
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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
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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
2/2/09 - L13 Prooosals &
Progress Reports
Copyright 2009 - Joanne DeGroat, ECE, OSU
14