Course description


Past Performance is a key proposal element that customers use to evaluate potential contractors. A strong presentation of past performance can significantly influence the outcome of a proposal evaluation.

Effectively showcasing your organization's capabilities helps you stand out from the competition and build trust with evaluators, both of which are critical to winning new business. This course provides a systematic approach to selecting and presenting past performance references to maximize evaluation scores. It offers practical techniques to organize, customize, and align your past performance content with customer expectations. The course includes an instructor-reviewed assignment designed to reinforce key concepts and support practical application.

The course is designed for individuals responsible for Proposal Management or the preparation of Past Performance content, helping you develop the skills needed to strengthen your organization's proposals and improve competitiveness.

Five light wooden stars are arranged in a horizontal row on a dark gray surface. A black magnifying glass is placed over the fifth star on the far right, magnifying it. The scene represents a quality assessment or review process.


Course objectives


Master the Art of Past Performance in Proposals
Unlock the full potential of your proposals by mastering critical techniques in Past Performance. This comprehensive course will guide you step-by-step through the preparation of persuasive, compliant past performance responses.

In this course, you will learn how to:

  • Assess bid opportunities to determine alignment with organizational strengths and goals

  • Interpret Request for Proposal (RFP) instructions and evaluation criteria to ensure compliance and maximize evaluation scores

  • Review and analyze Performance Work Statements (PWS) to identify relevant contracts

  • Customize Past Performance Templates to match RFP requirements

  • Use a Past Performance Matrix to evaluate contracts and select the best references systematically

  • Populate Past Performance References with clear, well-structured information to present organizational strengths effectively

Course overview


The Optimize Your Past Performance course is part of the integrated proposal development process. This course teaches you how to effectively select, organize, and present your organization's experience in proposals, ensuring that your achievements are clearly and persuasively communicated to evaluators.
Who is this course for?

This course is designed for individuals responsible for proposal management or preparing past performance content, including references and corporate capability statements.

Prerequisites

Prior to starting this course, learners should have intermediate Microsoft Word Skills.

Course Format

This course includes lessons, activities, templates, quizzes, and additional resources. A brief quiz is provided at the end of each chapter, with a final quiz at the end of the course to assess your understanding of the material.

Does this course include instructor feedback?

This course is self-paced, allowing you to learn on your schedule.

During the course, you will complete a set of structured activities to build a proposal matrix and develop a Past Performance Reference based on a Case Study. Upon completion of the final Past Performance quiz, learners will submit an assignment that applies the techniques presented in the course.

Dr. Kate Rosengreen will review your assignment and provide personalized feedback on your past performance submission.

If you would like additional support, Personal Coaching is available as a separate option and can be added at any time to provide guidance or answer questions.

Contact our Support Team at https://www.prglearn.com/pages/contact-us/#ContactUs.

How long will it take to complete the course?

The time needed to complete the course varies based on your interest, motivation, and the time you can dedicate. You may choose to finish a self-paced course in a day, a week, a month, or over a longer period, as they follow an instructor-led schedule and may include activities that must be completed between sessions.

You will have access to all course content for 12 months, allowing you to work at the pace that best fits your schedule.

Learning outcomes

Select, organize, and present past performance references to strengthen proposal submissions and maximize evaluation scores.

Will I receive a certificate?

Yes. Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate can be downloaded and used to document your training for internal records or professional development requirements.

Course curriculum

  1. Course Introduction

  2. Proposal Toolkit

  3. Ch 1 - Overview

  4. Ch 2 - Analyze the Requirements

  5. Ch 3 - Plan your Response

  6. Ch 4 - Build your References

About this course

  • SUMMER SPECIAL $1,250 [Regular Price $1,450]
  • Downloadable Templates & Workbook
  • Instructor-reviewed assignment

Instructor

Dr. Kate Rosengreen is the President of the Proposal Resource Group, Inc., a proposal management consultancy based in Washington DC. Kate has over 25 years of experience supporting Federal contractors, consulting firms, small businesses, and nonprofit agencies in the management of successful proposals across the U.S.
Photo of Dr. Kate Rosengreen

Testimonials

NPA BD Executive | Col (Ret)

"Dr. Rosengreen’s training helped us win 8 contracts worth $15M and build an organization-wide proposal process that continues to drive our success."

BD Executive | Defense Contractor

"I wish I had this training when I first started working on Past Performance all those years ago."

Proposal Manager | NPA

"Even though this is an eLearning course it’s just like being in face-to-face training. The training is very thorough and engaging."

VP Business Development | NPA

"After a recent bid loss, we sought personal coaching to understand how to improve our content. The targeted feedback and strategic recommendations provided invaluable insight, introducing us to new techniques that significantly increased our confidence and prospects for future success."

Technical Writer | NPA

"The content is divided into digestible sections which makes learning easier. The quizzes in each lesson are satisfying and I know I am learning the material."

VP Business Development | NPA

"Each topic builds on the other seamlessly, allowing you to develop a comprehensive proposal strategy step by step."