FAQs — Prime Proposal Group | RFP, RFQ, RFI, Bid & Grant Writing | GSA MAS Schedule Contracting

General Questions

Yes, but we are scaling back. Our focus has shifted to collaboration and coalition building through our nonprofit arm, Prime For Change (PFC). Instead of responding to 10 or 20 requests at a time, we are prioritizing targeted outreach with select partners to maximize impact. Over the past decade, Prime/our President has built strong connections to create award-winning programs, and we are channeling those efforts into driving meaningful change.
We’re evolving to work less but reach more—starting in the Chicagoland area and soon expanding to Detroit. Learn more about our mission and collaboration opportunities at www.primeforchange.org
It depends. Prime has a preference to work with firms with a valuation of $1M or more or established firms with a CLEAR history of past performance. We can only help if you meet the qualifications outlined in the proposal. If you don't have a history of past performance, proper credentials (EIN, DUNS, SAM CAGE Code, references, business certifications), you may have to delay your response or we do not recommend you proceed with applying for an opportunity at this time. We only choose to work with business professionals who understand the undertaking of the RPF, bid, or grant they are pursuing.
Integrity is key! If there's any question, Prime simply WILL NOT work with you. To work with Prime, if selected, your point of contact MUST be professional, responsive, and serious about undertaking your new venture. We handpick each client we prefer to work with and we walk you through every stage of the business process. Remember, we aren’t just writing for you, we are including you as part of the process. Now, it is our fiduciary duty to recommend a course of action that makes sense. If you are interested in bidding on a solicitation completely out of your range, we will advise you accordingly.

If you are selected to work with Prime, for grants you typically have to complete a fact finding for your opportunity. We cannot simply draft a response for you—you must provide the necessary content for us to build upon. Your active involvement is essential; without it, we cannot develop a strong submission. There are no shortcuts in this process.

Prime is evolving in 2025. We are writing less grants and focusing more on collaboration through our new nonprofit, Prime For Change. Learn more at www.primeforchange.org.
We provide consultations by appointment only. We no longer publish our calendar due to the volume of requests we receive. Our offices are closed on weekends and all holidays. Please no work texts or calls on Saturdays and Sundays or after 8 PM CT. If you are an established and revenue generating firm, please submit a contact us request. Upon reviewing your request, if there's interest, we will follow up with you.
At our technical writing and design firm, we take immense pride in serving clients across all U.S. cities, as well as extending our expertise and services to the vibrant locales of the Caribbean. With a commitment to excellence and a team of skilled professionals, we cater to a diverse range of industries and organizations, providing them with top-notch technical writing solutions and innovative design services.
Whether you are a large corporation or a small business, located in bustling urban centers or tranquil Caribbean destinations, our firm is dedicated to delivering exceptional quality, tailored to meet your unique needs and exceed your expectations. Embracing the richness of cultural diversity and the dynamic spirit of each region, we aim to foster lasting partnerships and empower our clients to thrive in their endeavors.
At Prime, we have a distinct preference for collaborating with companies that demonstrate substantial potential, with a valuation over $1 million. We understand that such firms are poised for growth and have ambitious goals, and we are eager to support their endeavors through our expertise in technical writing and design.
Various organizations hire bid and grant writers, including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, research centers, and private businesses seeking funding for specific projects or initiatives.
As a successful writing and design firm, we are passionate about making a meaningful impact and contributing to the greater good. For this reason, we actively seek partnerships with nonprofits that boast a history of past performance in their respective fields.
By teaming up with nonprofits that have proven their dedication and effectiveness, we believe our services can help amplify their missions and drive positive change in the communities they serve.
Now, we do help firms and nonprofits with incorporation, from start to finish, but you must be able to handle the speed at which we work. Our commitment to excellence remains unwavering, regardless of the size or structure of the organizations we work with, as we aim to deliver exceptional solutions that align with their specific objectives and values.
For 2023, our success rate is at 87% and even higher at 89% in 2024. Our rate is high because our President cherry picks the projects she’ll take on. If we don’t think we can win it, we WILL NOT WRITE IT.

Typically, most successful technical writers range from 30%-65%. Writers with an incredibly high rate usually write very little grants or respond to fewer bids. Question proposal and grant writers with an irresponsibly high success rate. Ask to see their wins, along with their portfolio of projects. In 2022 alone, we've written over $93M in awards (this includes multiple year awards of 3-5 years). Many are still pending and even more results will be posted.

Keep in mind that we do not control the final outcomes. Our focus is on diligently meeting NOFO and solicitation requirements to achieve a competitive score. Success depends on a combination of pricing and budget, past performance, capacity, and fulfilling all rubric criteria. Ultimately, you must be selected to win—no one can or should guarantee ANY outcome.
At Prime, we do not calculate or provide an average grant award amount. Our work spans a diverse range of projects, including writing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and grants for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The scope of our proposals, bids, and contracts varies significantly—some are very large-scale, multi-year awards. For example, securing a $30 million Department of Defense (DoD) or security contract would not be a fair metric for determining an average grant amount compared to a small community-based nonprofit. Our numbers will be greatly overinflated.

The funding awarded depends entirely on the capabilities, qualifications, and industry of each client. Since every client’s situation is unique, we do not guarantee funding or award securement. Instead, success depends on the client’s ability to meet the necessary qualifications and be selected through the competitive process.
We understand that crafting successful proposals is crucial for your organization's growth and impact. Our goal is to collaborate closely with you to develop comprehensive and compelling responses to RFPs and grant opportunities.

Our first step is to conduct a thorough needs assessment to understand your organization's unique goals, mission, and specific requirements. By delving into the details of your projects and objectives, we can tailor our approach to align with your vision.

Next, we send a contract for the agreed upon terms, prices, and timelines. Upon signing the contract, payment is due in full upfront for projects under $10K and over $10K, a deposit with monthly payments may be made, contingent upon creditworthiness.
We value open and transparent communication. Throughout the onboarding process, we engage in active dialogue, keeping you informed about our progress and seeking your valuable input. Your feedback is invaluable as we work together to fine-tune the proposals.
At Prime, we take the protection of intellectual property (IP) seriously, both for our own creations and our clients' work. In line with this commitment, we do not provide samples of our work as it could potentially be duplicated or misused. Our priority is to ensure the confidentiality and security of all materials produced by our team.
Rest assured, we have a strict policy in place to safeguard the privacy of our clients' proprietary information and maintain the confidentiality of our projects. We understand the importance of trust in our business relationships and endeavor to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
While we cannot share specific samples, we are more than happy to showcase our expertise through our portfolio. Feel free to view our portfolio page online today.
Modifications are not included in our initial technical writing fee. We adhere to a transparent billing policy where we charge for additional work based on the time and level of effort (LOE) required for the requested modifications. Our aim is to provide accurate and comprehensive technical writing services while ensuring fairness in billing for any changes beyond the scope of the original project. Funders and grantors typically ask for modifications and/or changes and ANY additional work incurs a fee.
Again, as part of our standard billing policy, any modifications, revisions, or new writing requests made after the completion of the original project SHALL be subject to separate charges.

Service Questions

We must emphasize that while we strive to produce high-quality and compelling bids, RFPs, and grant submissions, we cannot guarantee their success (be leery of anyone that does). The outcome of these processes depends on various factors, including the specific requirements and evaluation criteria set by the respective issuers or organizations.
Our role is to diligently research, analyze, and articulate the necessary information in the most effective manner, adhering to industry standards and best practices.
To increase the likelihood of success, we advocate for thorough preparation, showcasing the proper qualifications and relevant experience of the applicant. This may include highlighting certifications, past performance, and successful track records to demonstrate expertise and competence in the given field. Additionally, competitive pricing and well-structured proposals that address the issuer's needs comprehensively can strengthen the overall application.
While we cannot guarantee success, we are committed to providing exceptional technical writing services that present your organization in the best possible light, giving you a competitive edge in the bid, RFP, and grant application processes.
Our team offers a variety of à la carte professional administrative services and support to our clientèle. We compose business letters, professional capacity statements, sources sought responses, quality control plans (QCPs), letter of intent (LOIs), requests for information (RFIs) & quotes (RFQs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), strategy plans, employee handbooks, manuals, outreach letters to donors, events management, and even venue selection.
Prime no longer offers post-award administrative support (we just don’t have the bandwidth). For grant and bid post-award support, we have partners we have vetted and coached to assist you, particularly with accounting and financial reporting. Schedule an appointment to find out how we can support you too!
Prime takes great pride in our commitment to providing exceptional, in-house services for all our clients. Unlike many other firms, we do not outsource any aspect of our work. Our President and Chief Proposal Writer, a seasoned expert in technical writing, personally oversees and crafts each and every bid, RFP, and grant application, ensuring the highest level of quality and attention to detail.
For grant projects, our Design Director collaborates closely with the President to create captivating mockups and final designs that align seamlessly with the proposals' content. With everything conducted in-house, we maintain complete control over the entire process, allowing for efficient communication, swift revisions, and a consistent standard of excellence.
While we handle the core aspects internally, we do engage a highly vetted accounting firm for specialized administrative post-award support for reporting, if needed. Rest assured, every step of the way, our firm is dedicated to delivering top-notch services that cater to your unique needs and requirements.
At Prime, we take immense pride in our commitment to providing a personalized and dedicated approach to every project we undertake. We have a strict policy against working with other bid or grant writers. Also, we do not outsource any of our work. Our focus is on fostering direct collaboration with our clients, ensuring that we maintain complete control over the process and protect our and your intellectual property (IP) at all times.
We only offer logo design services as part of a larger project. Because we are a highly sought after technical writing and design firm, we can only undertake projects of a certain size standard. We our Design Director and Chief Proposal Writer work diligently on creating and finalizing designs that meet your needs, while championing your brand. Our Chief Proposal Writer drafts the design and mockup, then works with the Design Director on final delivery of all projects. We do not outsource your work. Our President actually works on all of your projects.
We sure do! Our websites are fabulous (we’ve featured a few on our portfolio page). We start with a consultation to learn more about you. Next, we incorporate your interests, purpose, and branding into a website that honors your vision both aesthetically.

Again, we do not outsource this work. Our President designs and codes every website specific to your needs. The amount of detail and coding is based upon the rate you pay.

Pricing Questions

The cost of our services depends on the scope of work, level of effort (LOE), and the requirements for each project, along with the need to fill any gaps in your own portfolio or project. The less work we have to do, the more you save. Also, if we have to bring on more team members to deliver a quality proposal, the cost increases. If you need help, book a strategy call.
From pricing strategy to cost proposal calculations to understanding bid or RFP requirements to reviewing a grant NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) to creating budgets and budget narratives, we can provide you with invaluable feedback and support to get you to the finish line.
Prime requires payment in full, upfront to commence services for projects less than $10K. If over $10K, at our discretion, we may require a deposit and monthly payments to commence projects. Most vendor applications start around $1.5K depending upon requirements. RFPs are continent upon the LOE and typically warrant $175/hour.
We also offer monthly retainers for trusted clients who commit to a signed agreement outlining payment terms and expectations. Retainers cannot be utilized for marketing printing costs, bid/collateral printing, nor shipping costs. Retainers are strictly for technical writing and design services only.
In the industry, contingency plans are frowned upon (% of payment after an award is won). Grant and RFP writing is an overhead PRE-AWARD cost. 99% of grants won't pay a professional to write your response. It's an out of pocket expense. Many of our clients even pay commissions as overhead costs too, for the hard work we do.
Remember, hiring a professional does not make up for lack of experience. We simply work with you to submit the best package to compliment your strengths. We try to control the controllables. Uncontrollables like acts of God, delivery issues, cancellations by grantors are out of our hands.
Need a specific quote? Submit a request.
Please be advised that our pricing for services is based on both time and the level of effort (LOE) involved. It is essential to note that any adjustments to the project's scope or an increase in required time will result in corresponding changes to the initial quote and pricing.

If we offer a quote and your project extends beyond its initial scope, the pricing will be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a payment discrepancy, we reserve the right to discontinue services until the necessary adjustments have been made. It is unfair to our business when requests for additional work exceed the fair compensation provided. Payment is required for the time allocated to your project.
Of course we do. Prime loves to give back. We typically offer discounted rates to nonprofits depending upon the type of service needed and we also offer Afterpay, in which you can pay in 4 interest-free installments.
Unfortunately, we cannot write the cost of grant writing into any grant budget for current work, it must be paid upfront as an overhead cost. Check with your grantor, more funders DO NOT allow contingency plans or post-award payments. Most funders won’t approve reimbursement of experiences prior to a notice of award or contract. We do not accept post-payments.
Because we have experience, our rates align with our background, education, level of effort (LOE), and time for services. The hourly rate for grant writers with some degree of success: $35-$75 per hour. On the other hand, the hourly rate for grant writers with proven success winning large grants: $75-$150 or more per hour. We generally charge around $175-$300 per hour depending on the submittal requirements. For smaller grants, we may charge less and we do offer nonprofits steep discounts.

Remember, in 2025, we are shifting how we do business. We are focusing on writing far less and working with select organizations through our nonprofit, Prime For Change: www.primeforchange.org
Once terms are agreed upon, we'll send an invoice and contract via email to esign and you may pay your invoice online using Apple Pay, Afterpay in 4 interest-free installments, credit card or via your mobile device using Cash App or Zelle (no fee). We do accept PayPal, but a 3% processing fee applies. Once payment is received, you'll receive a receipt. Easy right?
Great question. Proposal writing is an investment and should be factored as an overhead or even a startup cost to be incurred as part of your business expenses, not as commission or payment when awards are granted.
Now, there are many proposals with very strict guidelines, which strictly forbids including proposal writing as a startup expense or line item in the budget aka “a contingency plan”. Technical writing is an investment and should be counted as an upfront overhead expense. We do not accept payment plans, but we do accept Afterpay, which affords you the opportunity to pay in 4 interest-free payments over 6 weeks.
We work with clients to first determine if there’s a probability you could competitively qualify for an award. Prime bases our prices on the demand for our time/LOE and resources. For projects greater than $10K, we do offer payments in installments without the need for Afterpay.
For trusted, long-standing clients we've built a relationship with, we offer the option to pay via a lump-sum retainer to lock us in for future projects with a signed agreement on file. Contact us for more information.
As outlined in the Refund Policy & Disclaimer published on our homepage, all payments become nonrefundable once Prime has initiated services or provided any form of professional guidance, advisement, or project-related assistance.
Services are considered initiated once Prime has provided fact-finding materials, reviewed project requirements, conducted research, offered strategic recommendations, provided professional consultation, identified funding or contracting opportunities, or begun assisting with a grant application, proposal, bid, or solicitation response.
Our professional expertise, time, research, strategic direction, and recommendations constitute valuable services rendered, regardless of whether a final proposal, application, or other deliverable has been completed. Clients may not receive professional advisement, benefit from our expertise, or initiate the proposal development process and subsequently request a refund because they decide not to proceed.
Once services have commenced, refunds will not be issued due to a client's decision to cancel, postpone, discontinue, change project direction, or no longer pursue the funding or contracting opportunity. This policy applies even when the client elects to terminate the engagement before the completion of the agreed-upon services.
Prime is committed to delivering high-quality, professional services with diligence, integrity, and attention to detail. However, grant awards, contract selections, and funding decisions are determined by independent agencies, funders, and awarding authorities. Prime does not guarantee the approval, funding, selection, or award of any grant application, proposal, bid, solicitation response, or project.
By engaging Prime and submitting payment, clients acknowledge and agree to these terms, including the nonrefundable nature of services once work has commenced.
We firmly believe in transparency, integrity, and putting our clients' best interests first. As part of our commitment to fostering strong partnerships, we want to clarify that if our clients win funds through the proposals we develop, we do not ask for any commission or contingency fee from their awards (often times, it’s not even allowed!). All writing services provided by our team are considered standard overhead costs. While we do not seek commissions, we do offer the option for clients to express their appreciation through a voluntary, out-of-pocket, bonus payment if they wish.
Furthermore, our relationship with our clients does not end with the successful award of funds. We are here to support your organization beyond the proposal phase. Our clients hire us for marketing and design support post-award, as we build the logos and websites for nearly 90% of our clients. We are written into many of the grants we write for marketing and fiscal consultancy support. Again, we no longer offer administrative post-award support, but we have partners we’ve vetted and trained who do. Whether it's creating impactful promotional materials, developing strategic marketing campaigns, or enhancing your organization's branding, our team is ready to collaborate with you to ensure your continued success.

Hi, I’m Tammy…

You can call me your Chief Proposal Writer. As a technical writing consultant, my mission (and the goal of my team) is to be your reliable support and resource. If you have any questions, need guidance, or require assistance with your technical writing projects, we are here to help you every step of the way. We understand that navigating bids, RFPs, and grants can sometimes be challenging, but rest assured, we are dedicated to providing clarity and expertise.

Grants & Taxes

Grants received by for-profit companies are generally considered taxable income. When a for-profit receives a grant, it is treated as revenue and should be reported as such at tax time. However, certain grants may be classified as non-taxable if they meet specific criteria, such as being intended for research and development (R&D) or other qualifying purposes. It is essential for for-profit companies to consult with tax professionals to understand and comply with tax regulations.

No Guarantees

In the realm of proposal and grant writing, it is essential to acknowledge that there are no guarantees of success. While we creatively strive to meet all requirements and go above and beyond to craft compelling proposals, we must remain transparent that securing grants is a competitive and unpredictable process. Our team is dedicated to providing the highest level of expertise, experience, and professionalism to maximize your chances of success. We diligently research, strategize, and tailor each proposal to showcase your strengths and project merits. However, due to the subjective nature of grant evaluations and the vast pool of applicants, we cannot promise any wins. Winning means staying the course. The path to a win often involves applying for multiple opportunities and not getting discouraged.