Cadence
Services· Engagement shapes

What an engagementactually looks like.

Every proposal is different, but the work tends to fall into a handful of shapes. Pick the closest fit; we'll shape the engagement to the specifics on a call.

Engagement 01 / 04

Proposal Execution

End-to-end management of a single high-stakes proposal, from kickoff to submission.

Technology vendorsFederal ITHealthcare GTM
What it is

We run the proposal as a focused project: win themes, drafting, subject-matter-expert interviews, and the compliance matrix through final submission. Your team stays on their day jobs; we bring structure, writing, and momentum.

When to engage

You have one specific proposal that matters and not enough internal bandwidth to do it justice.

Typical timeline

4–8 weeks per response

Investment

Fixed fee, scoped per engagement

What's included
  • ◆Go / no-go assessment and competitive read
  • ◆Response timeline, owner map, and weekly cadence
  • ◆Win themes and executive summary
  • ◆SME interviews and content drafting
  • ◆Compliance matrix and red-team pass
  • ◆Final assembly, formatting, and submission
Engagement 01 / 04 · Cadence · Proposal Consulting
Engagement 02 / 04

Ongoing Proposal Support

Retainer-style coverage for organizations with steady proposal volume.

Series B+Public sector vendorsMulti-product teams
What it is

A dedicated proposal lead, sized to your pipeline: a standard process, a reusable content library, and one consistent voice across every response. For teams with recurring RFPs and no one whose full-time job is owning them.

When to engage

Proposals land regularly and consistently strain the same people. You need coverage without a full-time hire just yet.

Typical timeline

Quarterly engagements, monthly cadence

Investment

Monthly retainer, sized to your pipeline

What's included
  • ◆Dedicated hours each month at a predictable cadence
  • ◆Reusable content library, maintained as you grow
  • ◆Shared compliance and review templates
  • ◆Per-proposal execution within the retainer
  • ◆Quarterly read on what worked and what didn't
Engagement 02 / 04 · Cadence · Proposal Consulting
Engagement 03 / 04

Process & Playbook Design

Build the proposal capability your team will run on after we're gone.

Growth-stage teamsFirst proposal hiresFederal primes
What it is

A structured engagement to design the way your organization will respond to proposals: roles, decision gates, templates, review rhythm, and content reuse. We leave behind a playbook the team can actually use, plus the training to use it.

When to engage

You want to own proposals internally but every response still feels like it's starting from scratch.

Typical timeline

6–10 weeks end-to-end

Investment

Fixed fee, scoped per engagement

What's included
  • ◆Audit of the last several responses (wins and losses)
  • ◆Process design tailored to your team size and pipeline
  • ◆Templates: compliance matrix, kickoff brief, review checklist
  • ◆RACI and decision gates from intake to submission
  • ◆Team training and a short post-launch support window
Engagement 03 / 04 · Cadence · Proposal Consulting
Engagement 04 / 04

Compliance & Red-Team Review

An independent pre-submission pass to catch what your team is too close to see.

First-time biddersHigh-stakes renewalsFinal-mile teams
What it is

A focused, time-boxed review of a near-final proposal. We score against the RFP's stated criteria, verify every requirement is answered, check formatting and submission rules, and return a prioritized punch list. Lower commitment than full execution; useful as a first engagement.

When to engage

Your team wrote the proposal. You want a fresh, rigorous set of eyes before it goes out.

Typical timeline

5–7 business days, fixed scope

Investment

Fixed fee, time-boxed scope

What's included
  • ◆Compliance matrix verified against the RFP
  • ◆Section-by-section scoring on stated criteria
  • ◆Formatting, page-limit, and submission-rule checks
  • ◆Cross-section consistency pass (pricing, claims, scope)
  • ◆Prioritized findings with concrete fixes
Engagement 04 / 04 · Cadence · Proposal Consulting
Questions, answered

Before you write in.

The questions that come up on almost every first call. If yours isn't here, it belongs in the first note.

FAQ · Cadence · Proposal Consulting
Not sure which fits?

Most engagements start witha thirty-minute call aboutthe proposal in front of you.

Start a conversation