A proposal for a tender has two parts: the technical proposal explains how you will deliver the work and who will do it, and the financial proposal states the price and its terms. In the template above you answer three short steps and the technical proposal is written in seven sections; you then price the bill of quantities in the financial proposal tab and track readiness in the checklist.
The example is a 52-week building maintenance proposal with a four-phase method and a team of 10 people in five roles. The financial proposal is SAR 326,000.00 before VAT and SAR 374,900.00 including VAT, in an envelope separate from the technical one.
How to use the proposal template
- Enter the project, the issuing entity and your company as named in the conditions booklet.
- Describe the scope in two or three sentences, then the method phases, one per line.
- Edit the schedule, team and experience tables inside the proposal.
- Open the financial proposal, list items in bill-of-quantities order, and pick payment terms and validity.
- Complete the checklist, then download each proposal as its own file in Word or PDF.
What a proposal means
A proposal is a written offer to carry out work or a project, submitted in response to a request. Unlike a simple quotation, it explains the method, team and schedule before the price. It can be technical, financial, or a single commercial proposal combining both for private clients.
Structure of a technical proposal
Executive summary, understanding of scope, method, schedule, team and CVs, previous experience, then the quality and safety plan. Each section should answer a requirement in the booklet; the schedule calculates each phase in weeks, so phase three in the example runs 46 weeks.
The financial proposal
The price table follows the bill of quantities line by line. In the example five items total SAR 326,000.00, VAT at 15% is SAR 48,900.00, and the proposal is SAR 374,900.00, written in words below. Most tenders ask for the financial envelope to be sealed separately.
RFP, RFQ and RFI: what they mean
An RFP (request for proposal) describes a project and invites detailed technical and financial offers, scored on quality and price. An RFQ (request for quotation) fixes the specifications and quantities and asks mainly for a price, so a quotation is enough. An RFI (request for information) comes earlier, when a buyer wants to learn which suppliers can do the work before issuing a tender.
Common mistakes
- Prices in the technical proposal when the booklet requires two envelopes.
- Changing bill-of-quantities units or leaving an item unpriced.
- A generic method copied from an old proposal.
- An amount in words that does not match the figures.
Regulatory notes
Government tenders in Saudi Arabia are governed by the Government Tenders and Procurement Law and its regulations, and most are submitted through the Etimad platform, where the booklet states whether a bid bond is needed and for how much. VAT in the example is 15%, a field you can change in advanced mode after checking it with ZATCA.
When several projects run at once
Microtec accounting software is an ERP system covering sales, purchasing, inventory and finance, used by contracting and project companies in Saudi Arabia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an RFP and an RFQ?
An RFP asks for a technical and financial proposal scored on quality and price; an RFQ asks for a price against fixed specifications and quantities. The first needs a file like this template; the second needs a quotation.
Is a bid bond required with the proposal?
Only when the conditions booklet requires it, which is common in government tenders. The booklet states the amount, period and form; arrange it with your bank well before the deadline.
How can I make my proposal more likely to win?
Answer every requirement in the booklet in the same order, write a method specific to the project, cite similar work with figures, and check the document list before you submit.
Where are government tenders submitted in Saudi Arabia?
Most government tenders are published and submitted through the Etimad platform; private tenders use the channel named in the invitation. Confirm requirements with the issuing entity when you submit.
Can I download the proposal template as a PDF?
Yes. The Download PDF button in the technical tab gives the full proposal with its tables, Word gives an editable file, and the blank form button gives the sections without data.