Did you know only half of all bids for professional services actually win clients? To maximize your chances of closing deals, you need good bid proposal templates.
A bid proposal template is your blueprint for success when searching for new clients and contracts. It's your chance to show potential clients what you're about: your company’s expertise, service offerings and the methodology you use to carry out projects.
But crafting a bid from scratch can be a difficult task, especially if you don’t already have a template to work with. You risk falling into the same trap that ensnares countless businesses: submitting a bid that’s unremarkable at best and, at worst, unclear.
In this article, we’ll explain what a bid proposal is, highlight the types of bid proposals, detail the elements to include in a well-rounded bid proposal and share 8 professional bid proposal templates and samples guaranteed to boost your odds of winning clients.
A bid proposal is a detailed document that individuals or companies send to potential clients to establish their interest in completing a specific job or project.
It’s essentially a pitch that outlines offered services, scope of work, timelines, testimonials and pricing—anything and everything that shows clients why you are the best choice for the project.
RELATED ARTICLE: 12 Service Proposal Templates to Secure Your Next Client"Bid" and "Bid Proposal" are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two; a bid is a straightforward offer of a price for a product or service, whereas a bid proposal is more than just the price tag—it's a proposal that details the bid.
The prices quoted in a bid are calculated based on the cost of materials, labor and overhead, including desired profit margins, and don't go beyond that.
But in real-life competitive scenarios, having the lowest bid doesn’t always guarantee a contract. It's the value, quality and reliability you bring to the table. And that's where a bid proposal comes in.
It highlights the bidder's value proposition, emphasizes the benefits of their approach, and convinces clients that they offer the best overall value, not just the lowest cost.
In short, the bid is the "how much", while the bid proposal is the "how, why and who" behind the bid.
Understanding the types of bid requests is critical for winning contracts.
In this section, we'll define the three main types: Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ) and Request for Information (RFI).
A request for proposal, or RFP, is a formal document issued by an organization asking individuals or companies to submit comprehensive proposals to deliver a particular project or service.
They are commonly used for complex projects where the organization is seeking not just a price, but a detailed plan of how the contractor will achieve project goals.
RFPs usually require a detailed response that includes methodologies, timelines and project management approaches to the project’s challenges.
A request for quotation, or RFQ, is a document that requests a precise quote from vendors for a defined scope of goods or services.
These are typically utilized when the buyer’s requirements are clear-cut and are just looking for the lowest possible price.
RFQs are much more straightforward than RFPs and RFIs, as they are more price-centric and leave little room for alternative solutions or methodologies.
A request for information, or RFI, is a preliminary document used to collect general information about products, services or vendors.
They are commonly used in the early stages of project planning when buyers are considering different solutions available in the marketplace.
RFIs are not binding and are less detailed than RFPs and RFQs. They are often used to gather sufficient information to draft an RFP or RFQ and to understand vendor capabilities and market trends.
If you're wondering how to write a bid proposal, don't worry—we got you.
In this section, we’ll look at 8 key elements to add to your bid proposals and best business proposal format to clearly communicate your offer and establish your credibility:
The executive summary is the elevator pitch of your bid proposal. It should encapsulate the key points of your proposal.
In this section, outline how your company’s expertise aligns with the project’s needs—your understanding of the project, your approach and why you are the best fit.
But remember to keep your executive summaries short and to the point, as you don’t want to overwhelm readers with too much information at the start of your bid proposal.
Here's an example of a bid proposal example with an executive summary to help you craft your own.
At this stage, introduce your company to potential investors. Here are some of the things you can add:
This is where you basically showcase your company's stability, reliability and commitment to customer satisfaction.
Customer testimonials serve as social proof. It includes positive feedback from previous clients, validating your reputation and the quality of your work.
By showing evidence of the amazing work you've done in the past, you build a foundation of trust with potential clients, significantly boosting the credibility of your bid.
This section details the work you’ll be doing as part of the agreement. It should clearly define the project’s boundaries, the specific deliverables you will provide and the objectives you aim to achieve.
Clarity here ensures both parties understand the extent of the work involved, helping to manage expectations and mitigate scope creep.
The project methodology outlines the 'how' of your approach. It conveys the processes, tools and techniques you’ll use to manage the project effectively.
This will also help assure clients that you have a systematic, tried-and-tested approach to delivering the work.
This section is used to highlight the project schedule. It includes clear-cut timelines of when the work will start, the critical milestones and when the final deliverables are due.
This timeline sets out a roadmap for the project’s lifecycle, providing a clear sense of your project management skills and your commitment to meeting deadlines.
Now is the time to discuss your project’s pricing structure. Depending on the scope of work, this can be as short or detailed as possible. Either way, It’s essential to itemize costs so the client understands what they are paying for.
This section can include the overall price, payment schedules and any variables that might affect costs.
Pro Tip: With Visme, you can connect live data to the data visualizations you add to your projects, such as tables, charts and graphs.
Finally, outline the terms and conditions of your bid proposal. These cover the legal aspects of the proposal and include topics such as payment terms, confidentiality agreements, contract length, cancellation policies and warranties.
Clear terms protect both parties and establish a formal understanding of the business engagement.
After outlining the key elements of your bid proposal, make sure to choose a bid proposal format that is professional and clearly communicates the information to your potential client.
Creating a bid proposal from scratch can be intimidating—you don’t want to mess up the design or miss out on any important sections.
Thankfully, that’s why we have proposal templates.
Here are 8 bid proposal examples and templates to help you get started on the right foot:
This template for bid proposals features a fresh design with crisp images and professionally organized sections, enabling you to not only visually captivate potential clients but also highlight project delivery, budget and other terms and conditions of the contract.
Personalize this bid proposal template design by uploading images and videos of your paintwork for previous clients, or look for relevant, high-quality images in Visme’s library. This will give clients the opportunity to see your work and boost your chances of winning the bid.
Didn't find the right image? You can also use Visme’s AI image generator to add unique images to your bid proposals.
Featuring a blend of vibrant colors, ample white spaces and dedicated sections for photos, this marketing campaign bid proposal example is ideal for a variety of topics.
This template for bid proposals also comes with a simple yet useful section at the beginning where you can summarize your response to the RFP and establish your intent to work with the client.
Swap out the color combination used in the bid proposal letter template with your own, or if you don’t already have brand colors, choose from our range of color presets to get started.
You can also personalize the entire look and feel of this template by using Visme’s AI-powered brand wizard. Simply enter your web URL, let AI pull your brand colors, logos and fonts from the website and apply them to all the documents you create.
This bid proposal template sports an exquisite color combination with shades of black, white and green—colors that not only make the content pop but also reflect sophistication. The template layout is also great, as there are dedicated spaces for text boxes, tables and images.
The Project Timeline page of the template is particularly useful for bid proposals as it gives clients a clear idea of the project's completion date.
Breathe life into this business proposal template using Visme’s animation and interactive features. Embed videos, add clickable pop-ups and hover effects, animate icons and much more with a click of a button.
Looking for a way to immediately capture the attention of potential clients and win lucrative projects? Use this IT project proposal template today to get started.
This template for bid proposal features a black background with a white and yellow color foreground, making the contents of the proposal stand out. It also comes with an interactive data widget that you can use to visualize all kinds of data.
If you’re in search of a bid proposal example that's simple, to the point and professional, then this consulting bid proposal template is exactly what you need.
It presents a clean, authoritative design with an eye-catching color palette of white and orange. All sections are neatly organized so you can share your firm's background, highlight your project methodology and discuss budgets and delivery.
And that's not even the best part. Use Visme’s collaboration tools to get real-time feedback from team leads from different departments to speed up the bid response time. Better yet, tap into workflow management to assign roles, set deadlines and implement an approval process.
This professionally designed bid proposal template features an earthy color palette that echos the greens and browns of outdoor work. Its clear, structured layout includes service details, work samples, and pricing.
To establish trust and authority with potential clients, the template for bid proposals also has a dedicated Customer Testimonials page, ideal to help you navigate through the competition.
Once you've finalized the design and content of your bid proposal, share and publish it with your clients online. This will store all the animations you've added to the project to view the project, including the Flipbook effect.
Then tap into Visme analytics to gauge the effectiveness of your projects by tracking the number of views and time spent on them.
This business bid proposal template is designed with a minimalist aesthetic. It features a monochromatic color scheme accented by lines that mimic architectural blueprints.
The template also includes sections for project overview, deliverables, budget and terms and conditions.
Spice up this simple bid proposal example by adding creative, on-brand icons from Visme’s icon library, or simply make this template your own by replacing the placeholder text and visuals of this template.
Outline your company’s vision, accomplishments and services using this professionally designed printable bid proposal template. It comes with pre-designed pages for you to highlight the amazing work you’ve delivered in the past and discuss the proposed project plan.
Speed up your bid response example by incorporating Dynamic Fields into your proposals. Automatically swap out important details like client names, slide headings, or even pricing structures to personalize each proposal according to client needs.
Creating a successful bid proposal requires a strategic approach and attention to detail. Here, we outline the essential steps for writing a proposal that stands out from the competition.
An effective bid proposal starts with thoroughly understanding the project and the client. Take the time to review any provided documents and requirements carefully. Conduct thorough research to understand the client's needs and show your commitment and interest in their project. This is the crucial first step in writing a personalized and relevant proposal for your audience.
The next step is to create a clear and persuasive summary of your proposal. This section provides a brief overview of your entire offer, so it's essential to make it impactful. Your goal should be to clearly outline what you offer and why you're the best choice for the job.
Keep it brief and engaging. Think of it as your opportunity to grab the client's attention and make them want to read more.
Read our comprehensive guide on how to write an executive summary to learn more about it.
For your bid proposal to be effective, it's essential to map out a realistic timeline and budget. Break down the project into smaller tasks and estimate how long each will take. Then, calculate your costs thoughtfully, considering both direct and indirect expenses.
Always aim for accuracy and transparency in your pricing. This shows potential clients that you're organized and realistic about what it takes to do the job.
If you want to secure the bid, you must ensure that your clients have confidence in you and are willing to assign the project to you.
Provide details of your qualifications, experience, and any relevant certifications. Share case studies or examples of past projects that demonstrate your success and suitability for the current task. Client testimonials can also help build trust and any awards or recognition you have received in your field.
A professionally designed and visually appealing proposal can significantly increase your chances of success. Ensure that your proposal is informative, engaging and easy to read. Use a clean, elegant layout with logical organization and clear headings. Use high-quality images, graphs and charts to support your text and make complex information more accessible.
Visme's bid proposal templates remove the hassle of designing one from scratch and ensure your proposal looks professional. Choose a template from the list above and customize it using Visme's advanced tools and features.
Before sending your bid proposal, it's vital to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes to ensure your document is flawless. Also, review your proposal for clarity and conciseness, ensuring your points are well-expressed and easy to understand.
Visme's AI writer can be of great help while editing and proofreading your bid proposal. Just input your text prompt, and the tool will edit and proofread your text, summarize your text and even generate text for every section of your bid proposal. Use this tool to ensure your proposal is well-written while saving time.
Create high-quality copy for your bid proposal in minutes! Sign up. It’s freeWriting bid proposals requires a thorough mix of research, communication and presentation. And Visme can help you with all three of them.
In this section, we’ll discuss how you can prepare and send proposals using Visme. We’ll also include tips for writing a bid proposal:
Before you begin responding to RFPs, you need to be prepared.
Start by learning about potential clients and their business, including their industry, their goals and requirements for the project, and their budget.
At this stage, it is crucial to determine whether your company is a good fit for the project, so dive into the company’s history, mission statement, past projects and more to understand their long-term visions.
Also, analyze your competition—what kind of companies has your client worked with before? How do they position themselves? What’s their value proposition?
Finally, scrutinize their social media presence and read their customer reviews to identify any pain points and challenges you might be able to solve with your products or services.
Don't be afraid to ask clients for additional information. Once everything looks good, you can start your preparation to respond to the RFP.
Pro Tip: Use Visme to brainstorm and visualize your findings. Create an infographic, mind map or one-pager document with key client needs that you can share with your team.
Visme offers a variety of professional bid proposal templates that can serve as the starting point for your proposal. Here’s how to find them:
You can also search for specific keywords (e.g “construction bid proposal”) and browse through dozens of options in Visme’s library. Choose a template that aligns with your brand’s aesthetic preference, proposal type and client needs.
Pro Tip: Visme has several professionally designed bid proposal templates. Choose one that's relevant to your industry, but if you’re unable to find something, then opt for the aesthetic you're going for and make as many adjustments as you want until you're happy with what you have.
The best thing about Visme templates is that everything you see is fully customizable—from text, images, icons, colors and even pre-loaded illustrations and animations.
Start by adding your company information, contact details, service offerings, delivery timelines and budget. Then, upload relevant imagery, including images, work samples, awards and badges.
And finally, tweak the design of your sales proposal template to match your brand identity and chosen aesthetic.
Pro Tip: If you find yourself stuck writing responses to RFPs, use Visme’s AI text generator to help you out. Simply insert a prompt and let AI do all the heavy lifting.
Personalization is key when it comes to writing bid proposals. It reinforces your brand's image, making your proposal not just a formal document but a piece of brand communication.
Upload your brand kit, including logos, icons, fonts and color palettes and change the entire theme of a template with one click. You can even incorporate your brand colors into the data widgets—customizability options are endless.
Pro Tip: All Visme templates are professionally designed, so scan through samples of bid proposals in our library to get inspiration on how to align templates with your branding.
Remember that famous saying, 'Teamwork makes the dream work'? That couldn’t be closer to the truth when it comes to creating the perfect bid proposal.
Visme's collaborative features allow multiple team members to jump in, share tips for writing a bid proposal, leave comments, make edits and suggest improvements—all in real time.
This interactive nature helps lower the time needed to write bids and proposals as it quickens the internal review process.
Pro Tip: Leverage the strengths of each team member during the collaboration process. Assign specific sections to individuals who have the most expertise in that area. This not only enhances the quality of the proposal but also streamlines the creation process.
Once you've prepared bid proposals, it's time to send them to your clients.
With Visme, you can share directly through various channels. Send a private link via email, download it as a PDF for printing, or even create an interactive web version.
And with Visme's intelligent tracking capabilities, you can see when the client has viewed your proposal and which parts they spent the most time on.
Pro Tip: Before sending your bid proposal, conduct a final review to ensure everything is polished and professional. And follow up as soon as you notice that the client has viewed your proposal. Your proactiveness can enhance your chances of winning the bid.
While the specific requirements may vary depending on the industry and the client's preferences, here's a general guide on how to format a bid proposal:
The three main components of a bid proposal include:
Visme offers an extensive library of proposal templates to help you create stunning proposals in minutes. All you need to do is choose a bid proposal template, customize it, apply your branding, collaborate with your team and share your proposal with clients.
If you’re running out of time and need to create and submit your bid proposal quickly, utilize Visme’s AI document generator. Just submit your input, provide the tool with more context, and select your style and the tool will generate a captivating bid proposal template in seconds.
Then, you can use our intuitive editor to customize every aspect of your proposal to suit your needs.
A proposal is a written document that pitches a business idea, project, or service that your company can offer a potential client. On the other hand, a bid proposal is a specific type of proposal that is submitted in response to a request for proposal (RFP) or a request for quotation (RFQ) from a client.
The primary difference between a proposal and a bid proposal is that the latter is typically submitted in response to a formal request, whereas a proposal can be unsolicited.
The 3 C's of proposal writing are clarity, conciseness, and completeness.
By keeping these three C's in mind, you can write a proposal that is effective and persuasive.
An RFP (Request for Proposal) bid proposal is a formal document submitted by a company or individual in response to an organization's RFP. It outlines how the bidder plans to meet the requirements specified in the RFP, including proposed solutions, pricing, timelines and qualifications. The point is to convince the issuing organization to select the bidder for a project or contract.
Lean in on Visme's powerful features to create client-facing documents that are bound to make an impression in front of potential clients and investors.
Use Visme to collaborate with colleagues in real-time, customize important documents like bid proposals and product proposals on the go, and share them directly with clients—everything your agency needs to deliver standout bid proposals efficiently.
Ready to elevate your document creation? Check out Visme for Agencies and redefine how you connect with clients and win contracts.
