The Brutally Honest Proposal Critique for A/E/C firms
Your debrief was polite. I won’t be.
Lost a proposal you thought you’d win? Send it to me with the RFP. I’ll read your proposal the way an evaluator would and tell you in writing what doesn’t hold up, what you missed, and whether you answered the question. You’ll know exactly what to fix before your next submission.
Secure checkout via Gumroad
- 105% money back guarantee
- Completely confidential
- Arrives in two to three weeks after I receive both files
Matt Handal, author of Proposal Development Secrets and Committee Chairperson with the Construction Owners Association of America
Our firm is a full-service, client-focused team committed to delivering quality projects on time and on budget.
Every firm says this. Why should I care?
We have extensive experience with projects of similar size, scope, and complexity, and our team understands what it takes to succeed.
Which projects? Show me one like this job.
We will work closely with the owner throughout the project to ensure a successful outcome for all stakeholders.
The RFP asked for your phasing plan. Where is it?
Hundreds of top firms have ordered a critique. I’m not telling you who.
Every name is redacted for the same reason yours will be. What you send me stays between us. And nobody has given it anything but a great review.
“I am unsettlingly disturbed by what you saw/read/didn’t find. You brought up many good points.”
Partial Critique Buyers List
CONFIDENTIAL
- Construction
- Architects
- Inc.
- Construction
- Group
- Architects
- Construction
- Engineers
- Construction
- Associates
- Architects
- Construction
- Inc.
- Consultants
- Construction
- Architects
- Contractors
- Construction
- Consulting
- Inc.
- Architects
- Construction
- Engineering
- Group
- Construction
- Architects
- Corp
- Construction
- Associates
- Inc.
- Construction
- Architects
- Construction
- Construction
You may never hear the real reason you lost.
This is for you if:
- You lost a proposal you thought you’d win, and you still don’t know why.
- Your debrief gave you nothing you could act on.
- You suspect your proposals sound like everyone else’s.
- Your partners need to hear it from someone outside the firm.
A debrief can only tell you so much, and the people closest to your proposal are the ones who wrote it. Here’s what you’ll notice when someone outside your firm reads it with nothing to protect.
| A typical debrief | The Brutally Honest Critique | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Careful and diplomatic | No punches pulled |
| Your feelings | Taken into account | Not taken into account |
| What you keep | Whatever notes you managed to take | A two to three-page written critique, section by section |
What I write down as I read every section.
The statements you make
Do they say anything? Would an evaluator believe them?
How your qualifications fit
Not whether you’re qualified in general. Whether you fit this project.
What you missed
Anything the RFP wanted you to address that isn’t on the page.
Whether it was responsive
Did you answer what they asked, or what you wanted to talk about?
Two to three pages, section by section. Backed by a 105% money back guarantee.
Fair warning: it’s a tough pill to swallow.
I’m hard on the proposal because the evaluators will be. People’s first response to this critique is always emotional. Once they calm down, they realize how helpful it is. Here’s what that looks like, in customers’ own words:
“WOW!! This was a real ‘kick-in-the-pants’ and a punch to my gut!”
“After I got over my initial shock, I came to realize that we obviously need to have a major overhaul.”
“I’ve shared your feedback with a couple of the partners and we are in works to develop a process for implementing the changes/improvements needed.”
If you only want a pat on the back, I’m the wrong guy. If you want to know what to fix, this is for you.
Get my critique for $497How it works
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Order your critique
$497 for any proposal, through Gumroad.
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Send me the proposal and the RFP
Email them, or send a Dropbox link if they’re too large. I go through the RFP first, then read your proposal like someone evaluating it.
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Get my comments in writing
Usually a two to three-page document you can share with your team and your partners. It should arrive within two to three weeks after I receive both files.
Who’s reading your proposal
Matt Handal is a Fractional CMO for architecture, engineering, and construction firms; the author of Proposal Development Secrets; a Committee Chairperson with the Construction Owners Association of America; and an award-winning speaker at industry conferences including SMPS, AIA, and WTS.
Before you order
Will anyone else see my proposal?
No, the critique is completely confidential.
My boss won’t let me order one. Will you share some of these critiques?
No. See last question.
If I’m unhappy, you’ll give me back 105% of my money? What’s the catch?
No catch. If, for any reason, you are not completely satisfied, you’ll actually make a small profit. With the system I use, it’s easy to refund your money.
Will this offend my team?
It might sting, and your team should understand that going in. I’m not there to protect anyone’s feelings. I’m there to find what could be costing you work. Sometimes your team needs to hear it from someone outside the firm.
How long before I get my critique?
It should arrive within two to three weeks after I receive both files.
Can you review a proposal before it goes out?
I typically critique already submitted proposals. If you need a quick turnaround review, email me. It costs extra.
Does the price change with the size of the proposal?
No. It’s $497 for any proposal.
Can I order two Brutally Honest Proposal Critiques?
Many people have ordered two at once. That’s perfectly acceptable. Typically, these are firms that have multiple offices or multiple service lines. Order as many times as you want.
How do I send you the proposal and RFP?
If it’s under 10MB, just send it in email. If it’s over 10MB, I suggest reconverting it to a smaller PDF. I’m not going to base my critique on the quality of the pics. If you can’t get it under 10MB, I recommend sending me a Dropbox link. You can also arrange to send it to me via FTP.
See what the evaluators saw. Fix it before your next one.
- Your proposal read the way an evaluator would read it
- Section-by-section comments in a two to three-page document
- Completely confidential, arriving in two to three weeks after I receive both files
- 105% money back guarantee, no catch
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