RFPs: The Hunger Games of Proposal Writing
- kimgullion
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
Because may the odds be ever in your formatting's favor.
Let’s face it—writing a response to an RFP (Request for Proposal) can feel like being chosen as tribute for a high-stakes competition where only the best survive… or at least, make it past the evaluation committee.
And much like The Hunger Games, there are confusing rules, tight alliances, unexpected twists, and a lot of time spent muttering, “What fresh horror is this formatting requirement?”
Welcome to the arena. Let’s break down what makes proposal writing so wild—and how you can boost your chances of winning without resorting to a career in archery.
The Reaping: AKA “Oh no, this thing is due in two weeks.”
RFPs have a fun habit of landing in your inbox at 4:59 p.m. on a Friday.
You get one frantic glance and realize it’s 98 pages long, full of questions like “Please provide a description of your organization’s approach to... blah blah blah,” and written in Times New Roman, 9 pt font, because, of course 🤷♀️.
And yes, they want a 30-page response. With custom graphics. And a section called “Appendix G – Cost Narrative Table of Contents Matrix Addendum Summary.”
The Arena: Your Proposal Template
The arena is where heroes are made—or where someone forgets to update the footer on Page 27, and your proposal is disqualified.
There’s an art (and mild sorcery) to building a compliant proposal:
Margins? 1 inch exactly.
Font? Helvetica, but only on Mondays.
Section headers? Numbered like ancient scrolls.
PDF bookmarks? Required or you’re out.
Even the most beautiful content won’t survive if it’s not in the correct order, font, or alignment. (Proposal evaluators are secretly part-time document auditors, and we respect their energy.)
The Sponsors: AKA “Your Team”
Every Hunger Games tribute has sponsors—yours are the subject matter experts, graphic designers, and project managers who give your proposal that extra shine.
Unfortunately, sometimes your sponsors have PTO, a sick day, submit content in bullet points written in Wingdings, or say, “Just use what we wrote for that other bid—it’s basically the same.”
....It’s not.
The Strategy: Hire a Proposal Writer
Cue the uplifting music - This is where we enter the story.
An experienced proposal writer—like the kind we staff at Writer Resource—knows how to:
Decode RFPs like ancient prophecy
Work with SMEs and keep them on deadline
Format proposals to perfection (no header left behind)
Craft compelling, compliant, and persuasive content
Keep your blood pressure within acceptable limits
Basically, we’re the Katniss of content: calm under pressure, great with arrows (or bullet points), and able to lead your team to victory.
Winning the Games
Winning an RFP isn’t just about answering questions. It’s about telling your story in a way that makes the client say, “Yes. These are the people we trust.”
That takes writing, organization, and yes—a little sparkle in the executive summary.
So next time an RFP drops into your inbox like a flaming silver parachute, don’t panic. Call in your writing allies.
Because when it comes to proposal writing…
May the odds be ever in your formatting’s favor.
Need help with an upcoming RFP, RFQ, or other acronym-filled adventure?
We’ve got seasoned proposal writers ready to help you win your next bid.
📩 Contact us, and we can chat about strategy or email anytime at info@writerresource.com
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