McCall/Professional Communication 8/28/2020
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Desktop: OCC/Assignments/#3-Formal Proposal_REV
Homework Assign. #3 – Formal Proposal for External Management Team
Overview: For this unit, you will write a Formal Proposal to a client/customer
(EXTERNAL executive audience). You will consult a minimum of 6 sources to create
your draft (you will cite 4 using in-text citations MLA style [see Desire to Learn site and
OCC Library website]) and will include a cover letter. You should write as if you were
already an employee of your organization.
Pay-back: Most companies and organizations produce proposals to secure new
business and thus ensure the continuation of their business/services. Proposals written
for external audiences have legal implications. In all cases, proposals are persuasive,
problem-solving documents.
Assignment – 100 Points
Write a Formal Proposal
60 points – Draft an External Formal Proposal for a client/customer. You have a choice
and should choose based on what your company/ organization needs.
• You must include an expanded definition of a key term, a minimum of 2 graphics, a
theme, examples of persuasion suitable for your audience, a budget and a timeline.
• Your Formal Proposal must be typed and ~4-5 pages in length, not including the title
page or cover letter. Include a cover page with a 2-part title, the recipient’s name and
organization, your name and organization, the due date and a 2-3 line abstract. Use
a header/footer to lend a professional look to your document. Samples are available
in your text, in class and on D2L.
• Consult the sections of a proposal as they are listed in your text (pp. 354).
• Option A: Write a proposal selling one of your company’s products to a client or a
customer. You may write as if you were responding to a client or customer’s
Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal. (Or be a supplier selling a product to your
company/organization.)
• Option B: Write a proposal selling one of your company’s services to a client or a
customer. You may write as if you were responding to a client or customer’s
Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal. (Or be a supplier selling a service to your
company/organization.)
10 points – Develop and write a Rhetorical Strategy (audience analysis,
purpose/background of document, writing techniques to be used), and a purposeful
thesis statement [who should do what and why]).
20 points – Create a Works Cited list that includes 6 sources (you must quote from 4) in
drafting your document (use correct MLA style for in-text citations). You may cite text
and/or graphics:
• information from or about a competitor
• Information from or about your customer/client
McCall/Professional Communication 8/28/2020
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• An article from a reputable publication about the product/service you are selling or
the problem/issue that your proposal is solving
• your textbook for directions on how to write a Formal Proposal
• a credible website (.edu, .org, .net)
• A source of your own choosing (suggestion: your own company)
10 points – Write a brief Cover Letter to your client/customer (see MS Word templates
for proper letter formats) “handing off” the proposal. Sample letters are in your text and
on D2L.
NOTE: The Formal Proposal, Cover Letter and Works Cited must be in the proper
format, match the needs of your company/organization, accomplish the purpose, and be
error-free.
File Name
ENG 2200_YourLastName_Proposal_PR (or RD or FD)
• PR = Peer Review, RD = Rough Draft, FD = Final Draft
Assignment Submission
Try to put all pieces into a single file. Do a screen shot of your letter if you want to
preserve the formatting. Insert the screen shot into a .doc that also contains your
proposal, rhetorical strategy and Works Cited.
Due Dates
eRough Draft (optional): 11/16/20.
• Send all pieces in one file – email by 11:59 p.m.
• Instructor e-mail addresses: mmmccall@oaklandcc.edu with a cc: to
ReilMcCall@aol.com
Peer Review Draft (25 pts): 11/16/20.
• Be ready to share your assignment with your peer review partners in class.
Final Draft (100 pts): 11/30/20. Upload to D2L.