Question 1

This is different than the other proposal sites. How does it work?

Accepted Answer

Most proposal sites rely on templates and automation. We do not.

When you purchase a subscription, you get direct access to Blue Ocean’s consulting team. That starts with an orientation session where we talk with you about your goals and objectives. Our consultants analyze your solicitation, provide an assessment of your best path forward, and lay out a proposal plan with milestones to meet all requirements. This assessment is included in your subscription.

Every plan and estimate is customized. Each solicitation is unique, and our process reflects that. Your subscription includes access to our BlueOceanIQ rapid prototyping service, so you benefit from real cost and schedule savings.

For example, we recently produced a 120-page proposal for the Department of State that included three Statements of Work and almost 40 pages of instructions. The traditional approach took over three months and cost nearly $20,000. With rapid prototyping, that same proposal can be produced in about two weeks for around $7,500, not including the subscription.

Rapid prototyping also cuts down on proposal meetings and data calls, saving your team time and effort.

Blue Ocean considers both your capabilities and your budget to create a plan that works for you. You receive end-to-end support from experienced proposal consultants at a price comparable to generic AI proposal generators, but with much more value.

If you have more questions, we are happy to talk.

Question 2

Can I see a demo?

Accepted Answer

We do not offer demo software or automated proposal tools.

Instead, we invite you to schedule a walkthrough with one of our consultants. You will see how our team works with you directly and uses the BlueOceanIQ rapid prototyping service to deliver quality proposals quickly and affordably.

If you want to see how our process works in practice, we are happy to walk you through it.

Question 3

I have a proposal that's due in three days. Can you help me?

Accepted Answer

If you have assembled all of the required elements such as resumes, letters of commitment, past performance, etc., then the the BlueOcean IQ rapid prototyping service makes it possible for us to produce a strong proposal within three days.
However, you may not be asking the right question. Last minute bids, even when using AI to accelerate the process, nearly always lack the quality and compliance checks required to compete and win. Your competition has most likely taken the last month or two to prepare and to refine their approach. Slapping something together at the last minute will not result in a product that will impress government evaluators. While we can help in this situation, perhaps the question you should be asking is: Should I invest my time, energy, and treasure in this short-fused effort?

Question 4

If I don't have any proposals that i want to submit this month, can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

All sales are final. Refunds are not available, so please choose the subscription that fits your needs.

However, you can use your BlueOceanIQ subscription for much more than proposals! You can use it to produce just about any business or project document, including white papers, technical reports, compliance matrices, past performance narratives, SOPs, quality plans, training guides, employee handbooks, and LinkedIn articles. We also support executive summaries, capability statements, case studies, teaming agreements, and responses to RFIs or sources sought notices.

If you need images or ad creatives, BlueOceanIQ can produce those as well. If you require manual updates or edits by a designer, those services are available at our standard hourly bill rate.

Let us know what you need. We are here to help.

Question 5

Your Growth Plans say "Consultant support billed separately". What does that mean?

Accepted Answer

BlueOceanIQ uses a hybrid system that combines rapid prototyping technology with hands-on support from experienced consultants. From start to finish, you benefit from both automation and real human guidance.

Your subscription covers planning, assessment, and estimating for your project. You get access to our consultants, our rapid prototyping tools, and a detailed plan and estimate for your deliverables. All of this is included in your subscription cost.
Once you approve the plan and estimate, any writing, editing, or production work is billed separately by the hour. We do not begin billable work until you give your approval.

BlueOceanIQ can help you produce many types of text-based business documents. These include proposals, white papers, compliance matrices, past performance narratives, job descriptions, standard operating procedures, quality control plans, training guides, employee handbooks, LinkedIn articles, and more.

AI-generated images and ad creatives are included with your subscription. If you need a designer to make manual edits or changes to graphics, design services are billed at our standard hourly rate.

You always stay in control of your costs and your process. If you have questions about our rates or services, just ask. We are happy to explain how it works.

Question 6

If you write a proposal for us, what do we need need to provide?

Accepted Answer

Every RFP is unique, so we start by reviewing your opportunity and your goals. Most proposals require details about your experience, past performance, resumes for key personnel, and other supporting information.

As part of your subscription, we analyze the solicitation and give you a checklist of exactly what we need from you. We also advise you on how strong each piece of information needs to be to compete. If you are missing anything, we can suggest teaming partners or show you how to fill those gaps.

Think of it like baking a cake. The government gives us the recipe and you bring the ingredients. The better your ingredients are, the better the final cake turns out. If you bring high-quality information, we can build a much stronger proposal for you.

Question 7

Our company policy prohibits me from sending company confidential information using email. How can we provide our capabilities?

Accepted Answer

We respect your security requirements and never ask you to break your policies. You can share your documents with us using your preferred secure platform or a method approved by your IT team. If you need us to sign an NDA or use a special process, just let us know. We work with many clients who have strict confidentiality rules and will always protect your information.

Question 8

I have never heard of Blue Ocean. How long have you been in business?

Accepted Answer

Blue Ocean was founded in January of 2020, but our history started long before that. Until recently, we worked strictly by referral, which is why you may not have heard our name.

With the added capabilities of the BlueOceanIQ rapid prototyping tool, we now have the ability to scale to serve a growing and diverse federal market. With federal spending projected to set historic records this year, we wanted to open our doors to help as many sellers as we can.

Our founder, Ross Andrews, has more than 25 years of federal acquisition experience, including 12 years leading the Acquisition Center of Excellence for the U.S. Intelligence Community. He has developed complex strategies and managed procurements for major federal agencies, including billion-dollar programs. This level of expertise is now available to every Blue Ocean client.

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