Most authorities on writing federal proposals define a defensive proposal as follows:

• One written with the goal of being the last proposal standing
• An offering that presents a practical solution from the customer's perspective
• One that gives the customer what they want; no more and no less
• A bid that addresses each and every requirement of the RFP
• A proposal that is clear, concise, and devoid of sales puffery

Another definition of a defensive proposal is one that defends the position that you have already taken with the customer. Ideally, you have met with the customer, identified their requirements, and proposed a solution that meets their requirements. When your company writes the proposal, it must prove that your business can do what your sales people told the customer it could do during the sales process. In other words, you close the deal with words and provable facts and assure the customer that they will minimize their risk by choosing your company. You may have sold one or more of the people on the evaluation committee. Now you need to sell the rest.

Don't bid if you haven't established a position to defend. You can count on the fact that one or more vendors have established positions. Attendees at our seminars lament that they can't get to the customer because there are too many prime contractors and other competitors trying to do the same thing. Welcome to the world of direct sales and hard knocks. Either power your way through the flack, or don't play in the market.