Oral proposals are timed solution-focused “team job interviews” that either substitute or augment written proposals. They are an opportunity for the Government to evaluate your solution through the prism of the people. An oral presentation to the federal Government is not a traditional sales or marketing briefing, an investor pitch, a written proposal summarized in a slide format, a job interview, or a typical briefing presented to corporate, military, or Government officials. Instead, it is a complex hybrid of all of these, and then some. It poses unusual challenges in design, organization, and speaker preparation.
This two-day course gives you all the knowledge necessary to coach your team to win in orals, including the challenging GSA FEDSIM Orals. It covers the key skill areas spanning from managing a blended written and orals proposal to slide deck development, orals content development, and orals coaching. It covers different types of orals that include in-person orals, virtual orals with video and without video, teleconference orals, and recorded video orals, and dives into how to tailor the proposal process according to the RFP requirements.
The course explains how to prepare based on the time allotted to the orals, as well as how to brainstorm on your solution and develop supporting graphics. It then delves into how to effectively plan and manage orals rehearsals, coach presenters, and excel during the Q&A sessions. This course also shows how to prepare presenters for a scenario, live sample task response, or a tech challenge. It also offers strategies for making a team come across as cohesive during the presentation. It covers orals day logistics and best practices during the “game day.”
There are “right ways” to create a compelling oral presentation, to deliver it adeptly, and to answer questions successfully – and there are orals “land mines” that are easy to step on but should be avoided at any cost. Our instructor will share the proven practices with your team on how to create a winning oral presentation and give presenters the confidence to do their best.
Upcoming Classes
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Course Details
Location: OST Global Solutions, Inc., 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 560, Rockville, MD 20855 (check our Visitor Guide for location details, driving directions, nearby hotels and restaurants, and more).
Remote Attendance: This course is available via GoToMeeting with live video feed. The price per seat is the same as in-person participation. Many of our students save on travel costs and attend from other locations.
Professional Certification: This is Core Curriculum class that provides 2 units (2 days) towards Bid & Proposal Academy Certification. By attending this class, you will receive 3 CEUs or more towards your APMP certification, or PDUs towards your PMP (check with the PMI on what they will honor). At the end of this course, you will get a Certificate of Completion.
Who Should Attend This Course: Proposal managers, proposal coordinators, capture managers, proposal writers, proposal department directors, company executives and senior managers, federal business developers, Government contractor company owners, project personnel that participates in the proposal writing process.
Course Materials: Course workbook, handouts, templates, forms, and proposal process checklists.
Course Curriculum
Learning Objectives
Day 1
- Understand the orals requirements in the RFP and ask questions from the Government
- Plan the oral proposal process and schedule
- Lead the orals
- Select the presenters
- Plan your slides, including the right content and the number for the time allotted
- Brainstorm on the solution
- Develop the scripts
- Work with graphics and design
- Succeed at FEDSIM
Day 2
- Plan orals rehearsals and reviews
- Structure and lead each rehearsal
- Coach your presenters in the principles of delivering an effective presentation and presentation skills
- Get presenters to perform
- Coach for video and audio orals
- Excel during the Q&A
- Prepare your team for a scenario, live sample task response, or tech challenge
- Make a team come across as cohesive
- Complete important preparations as the Orals deadline approaches
- Game Day and the time after
Day 1 Highlights
Module 1: Oral Proposals Overview
- What Are Orals
- FAR 15.102 Oral Presentation
- Unique Challenges and Idiosyncrasies of Oral Proposals
- Many Flavors of Orals
- Varied Orals Delivery Format
- Quiz
Module 2: Oral Proposal Process, Schedule, and Requirements
- Orals: Running Multiple Processes Simultaneously
- Modifying the Process Based on the Orals Type
- Oral Proposal Schedule, Including the Timing for Bringing in an Orals Coach
- Timing for Evaluating Scripts, Talking Points, and Slides
- Dealing with a Compressed Schedule: Minimum Coaching Required
- Reading Between the Lines of the Orals Requirements and Posing Questions
- Discovering Virtual Technology Challenges Early and Asking Questions
- Quiz
Module 3: Orals Leadership
- Proposal Manager’s Authority and Other Leadership Roles
- How to Conduct an Effective Orals Kickoff to Successfully Integrate the Effort and Prevent Problems Down the Road
- What Kind of Just-In-Time Training Should You Provide to Your Orals Presenters, and When
- Discussion
Module 4: Selecting the Presenters
- Selecting the Presenters
- Other Personnel That May Be Allowed to Attend the Orals
- Presenter Best Practices
- Assigning Presenters to Speak
- Slides Are Not All-Important
- Quiz
Module 5: Planning Your Slides
- Determining the Number of Slides and Presentation Structure Based on the Requirements and Time Allotted
- Creating a Presentation Outline
- Outline Example and Optional Slide Worksheets
- Dense Slides vs. Sparse Slides?
- Adjusting the Outline Based on Time of Delivery for Each Slide
- Exercise
Module 6: Solution Brainstorming
- Solutioning for Orals (Six Methods)
- Brainstorming on Customer’s Challenges and Developing Themes
- Making the Slides Compelling
- Exercise
Module 7: Developing the Scripts
- Script Development Process
- Weaving Graphics into a Script
- Presenters Must Believe in Their Slides to Be Compelling
- Quiz
Module 8: Working with Graphics and Design
- Developing Compliant, Effective, Easy-to-Brief Slides That Will Serve as Effective “Leave Behinds”
- How to Coach a Graphic Artist to Produce Persuasive and Memorable Graphics
- Four Design Methods and the Rule of Thirds
- Principles of Effective Presentation and Slide Design
- Alternatives to Builds – Using Layering and Repeat Images to Tell a Story
- Ensuring Slide Consistency Stylistically and Across Different Tasks
- How to Coach a Graphic Artist to Produce Persuasive and Memorable Graphics
- Exercise
Module 9: Succeeding at FEDSIM
- FEDSIM Orals Process
- FEDSIM Orals Day
- FEDSIM Presentation
- Live Virtual FEDSIM Orals
- Recorded FEDSIM Orals
- FEDSIM Slide Format
- Quiz
Day 1 Take-Aways
Day 2 Highlights
Day 1 Recap
Module 10: Planning Orals Rehearsals and Reviews
- Rehearsal Types
- Orals Rehearsals Scheduling
- Organizing and Conducting Oral Proposal Reviews and Mock Orals
- Mock Panel Review
- Ensuring the Reviewers Come Prepared to Offer Constructive Feedback
- Quiz
Module 11: How to Structure and Lead Each Rehearsal
- Developing Speaking Points
- Steps of Rehearsing and Learning the Content
- Challenging Presenter Scenario
- Preparing Presenters When Writers Develop the Slides
- Adding Anecdotes to Substantiate the Points in the Slides
- Making Benefits Explicit to Engage Evaluators
- How to Provide Constructive Feedback to Presenters After Each Rehearsal
- Most Important Factors That Help Create Effective Practices
- Exercise
Module 12: Coaching Your Presenters in the Principles of Delivering an Effective Presentation and Presentation Skills
- Ways to Relax the Speakers
- Vocal Warmups for Speaking
- Coaching for a Conversation with the Evaluators, Even If It’s Audio or Video
- Coaching Presenters to Speak Up to Come Across as Assertive
- Dealing with Presentation Time
- Exercise
Module 13: Getting Presenters to Perform
- The Importance of Voice
- Making Eye Contact
- Posture, Hands, and Deliberate Movements
- Dealing with Heavy Accent or Stutter
- Rules of Comportment When Not Speaking
- How to Overcome Challenges in Coaching Presenters with the Fear of Public Speaking
- Overcoming Nervous Habits
- Exercise
Module 14: Tips for Coaching for Video and Audio Orals
- Tips for Video Orals
- Coaching for Audio Orals
- Coaching for Orals over the Teleconference
- Quiz
Module 15: Techniques for Excelling During the Q&A
- Purpose of the Q&A Session
- Preparing for the Q&A Session
- Process for Responding to Questions
- Avoiding Q&A Session Pitfalls
- Handling Tricky Questions
- Fielding Questions in Virtual Environments
- Exercise
Module 16:How to Best Prepare Your Team for a Scenario, Live Sample Task Response, or Tech Challenge
- What Evaluators Want to Learn from a Scenario or Live Sample Task Response Preparing for a Demo or a Technical Challenge Prepared in Advance
- Preparing for a Technical Challenge or a Solution Prepared on the Spot
- Assigning Roles
- Preparing a Visual Collaboration Workspace for a Scenario or Tech Challenge
- Preparing a Slides Template for a Pop-up Scenario
- Solutioning Using Flip Charts and Incorporating Them Via Video
- Technology for In-Person Demos
- Quiz
Module 17: How to Make a Team Come Across as Cohesive
- Team is More Than Important
- How to Make a Team Come Across as Cohesive
- Coaching Presenters to Come Across as Enthusiastic and Gracious Team Players
- Team Building Exercise/Ice Breaker
- Making Sure Everyone Contributes Equally
- Knowing When the Team Peaks
- Exercise
Module 18: Important Preparations as the Orals Deadline Approaches
- Logistics of the Presentation Day
- Logistics Checklist
- Setup for Virtual Orals
- Background for Virtual Presenters
- Pre-Test the Setup and Getting Peripheral Equipment
- Preparing Well with the Right Technology
- Evaluators’ Feedback During Orals: What to Expect
- How to Dress for the Orals
- Mistakes to Avoid Prior to the Orals
- Game Day Considerations
- Discussion
Module 19: Game Day and the Time After
- How to Best Support the Presenter Team on the Presentation Day
- How to Tell if the Presentation Was Successful
- Steps to Take After the Presentation
- Discussion
Course Recap and Takeaways.
Seating is limited!
Cancellations & Rescheduling Policy
Cancellation notification must be received 10 business days prior to the training date. Upon notification, your registration fee will be refunded less a $100 non-refundable processing fee. Any cancellations beyond the 10 business days are non-refundable, but the course fee can be applied towards another training course, webinar, or an OST Global Solutions training product. No refunds will be made for the cancellation of a rescheduled course. Courses need to be rescheduled at least 24 hours in advance because we have to print the materials. As we constantly update the materials, they cannot be reused for another class. If a registrant didn’t request to reschedule and simply doesn’t show up on the day of the class, they forfeit the ability to reschedule. Attendee substitutions may be made at any time. Payment must be received prior to the course date. No-shows are liable for the full class fee.
Additional Information
If you would like to discuss whether this class is right for you or have any other questions, please call (301) 384-3350 during normal business hours.
Other Types of Payment
If you’d like to receive an invoice and pay by check, please send an email to service@ostglobalsolutions.com*.
*All payments must be received prior to the course start date.