Pick your strategy early
You have identified an opportunity to pursue that aligns with the goals of the funding organization and your company. The government is going to have one perspective on what is important about the work to be done, and you likely have another set of priorities. The first key task is to define an approach to the project that will ensure achievement of your company’s goals while emphasizing the priorities of the funding agency.
Capture 5 to 10 bullets of why your organization is pursuing this FOA. Why is this the right opportunity for you and why is this the right time? What is the strategic benefit of pursuing the opportunity?
Review the grading criteria. What aspects of the response will be scored, and what will the scoring parties look for?
Re-read the FOA with a critical eye for repeated phrases, goals, targets, etc.. These may hint at goals that are not explicitly called out.
Capture 5 to 10 bullets of the funding agency’s overarching priorities. Based on the above multipart review of the FOA, articulate the agency’s explicit and implied goals.
Define your strategy in a single paragraph. How do the goals of your organization align with those of the finding agency? Why is your organization a logical one to answer this call, and what distinguishes the skills and services that you offer? Identify the weaknesses or “holes” in your skillset and what types of organizations you plan to engage to answer those goals, Name specific organizations if you can. Recruit team members that address multiple weaknesses. Consider the agency’s implied goals and strategies when identifying partners.
