“We need a system,” “we can supply the products” or “there is a large opportunity” is not enough information for a technical or commercial decision. The proposal should show what must be delivered, who needs it, what already exists and which responsibilities the proposing party can carry.
The same discipline applies to client enquiries, supplier submissions, consortium proposals and long-term operating opportunities.
Identify the contracting requirement
State whether the proposal concerns a client project, tender, request for quotation, supply requirement, subcontract, consortium, joint venture, business acquisition or continuing operating relationship. Include the organisation issuing the requirement and any applicable reference number.
Where a formal document exists, provide the RFQ, RFP, tender pack, bill of quantities, specification, drawings or statement of work.
Describe the required result
Explain what the client must receive or what operating problem must be solved. Avoid describing only the proposed product. The result may include supplied equipment, functioning infrastructure, installed software, trained users, deployed personnel, completed sites, accepted documentation or a measurable service level.
Provide quantities, locations and dates
Pricing and mobilisation depend on scale. Include:
- Quantities, units and product variations.
- Site addresses, regions or distribution points.
- Required delivery, installation or completion dates.
- Working hours, access restrictions and shutdown windows.
- Contract duration and support or warranty periods.
- Whether phased or partial delivery is permitted.
Include technical and acceptance standards
Provide relevant model numbers, drawings, materials, dimensions, performance ratings, integration requirements, standards, licences and certifications. State whether alternatives are allowed and how equivalence will be assessed.
Acceptance criteria should identify the evidence required for payment or handover, such as inspection reports, test results, certificates, serial-number schedules, commissioning records, delivery notes or signed completion documents.
Explain the current environment
For technology, engineering or operational work, describe the existing systems, equipment, processes, data, suppliers and constraints. Include known interfaces, site conditions, legacy systems and the parties whose cooperation will be required.
A software estimate is unreliable when the required users, workflows, integrations and data are unknown. An installation estimate is unreliable when site conditions, electrical supply or access arrangements are missing.
State what you can provide
A supplier or prospective delivery partner should identify the exact capability it controls. This may include:
- Products, manufacturing capacity or authorised supply access.
- Qualified personnel, engineers, technicians or project managers.
- Vehicles, warehouses, equipment, workshops or installation teams.
- Software, intellectual property, licences or specialist systems.
- Finance, working capital or confirmed commercial facilities.
- Customer, sector, municipal or institutional relationships.
- Relevant references and completed work.
Support material claims with evidence
Useful supporting records include registration documents, licences, certificates, manufacturer letters, product data sheets, quotations, personnel CVs, equipment lists, project references, purchase orders, invoices, contracts, delivery records and photographs.
Experience should identify the legal entity and people who performed the work. Do not present an unrelated company’s project as the applicant’s own record.
Set out the commercial position
Where known, provide the customer budget, tender ceiling, target selling price, expected volumes, payment terms and pricing format. A supplier should provide its price basis, validity period, tax treatment, currency, lead time, minimum order quantity, warranty and delivery terms.
For longer-term opportunities, include realistic revenue, gross margin, operating costs, capital requirements and cash-flow timing. A large contract value is not meaningful if the delivery margin and financing requirement are unknown.
Identify assumptions, risks and dependencies
Strong proposals do not hide uncertainty. Identify matters that could change the price or schedule, including supplier lead times, exchange rates, client approvals, access to sites, imported components, data availability, permits, labour availability, weather, power interruptions and third-party integrations.
Define the proposed relationship
State what is expected from African Resolve Holdings. This may be direct supply, project coordination, technical delivery, procurement, finance administration, software development, logistics, consortium participation or a longer-term operating relationship.
Also state what the proposing party will continue to own and manage. A credible proposal does not transfer every difficult responsibility while retaining only the commercial upside.
A practical submission checklist
- Client or opportunity name and reference.
- Complete scope or source documents.
- Quantities, locations and required dates.
- Technical standards and acceptance evidence.
- Existing environment and known constraints.
- Your available products, people, assets and credentials.
- Pricing, lead times and commercial assumptions.
- Relevant experience and supporting records.
- Risks, dependencies and unresolved questions.
- The exact role requested from African Resolve Holdings.
When a first assessment phase is appropriate
Some requirements cannot be priced responsibly from the initial information. A paid assessment, site visit, technical workshop, supplier-validation exercise or proof of concept may be needed before a final delivery proposal.
This is preferable to producing a confident but unreliable price. It creates a documented basis for scope, risk, schedule and commercial decisions.