Bid Manager vs. Proposal Manager: Understanding Their Distinct Roles
Do you know the difference between a bid manager and a proposal manager? You’re not alone if you don’t—the two titles are often used interchangeably.
But these roles aren’t the same, and mixing them up can lead to confusion. As a bid or proposal manager, you might struggle with unclear responsibilities. And if you’re building an RFP team, you could hire the wrong role for your needs.
Read on to learn the key differences between these RFP management roles, the right time to hire for each position, and how the two can work harmoniously together.
First Up, What is a Bid Manager?
A bid manager oversees the entire bid lifecycle. They apply exceptional organizational and people skills to ensure all the right resources are aligned for a smooth collaboration process that stretches well beyond an RFP deadline.
The bid manager’s role throughout the bid lifecycle is to:
- Orchestrate all aspects of the bid, starting from the capture planning phase
- Assemble the bid team
- Refine solutions with subject matter experts
- Finalize commercial terms
- Ensure compliance with legal requirements
- Manage client communications after an RFP is submitted
- Address clarifications and negotiates terms until a contract is signed
- Facilitate internal debriefs to extract key lessons for future bids
- Lead contract renewal strategies to maintain long-term success
As the central point of contact throughout the bid process, a bid manager connects teams and coordinates tasks to ensure a collaborative workflow. Their ability to manage resources under tight deadlines, influence decision-making, and motivate cross-functional teams makes them an invaluable asset in winning and retaining.
Next, What is a Proposal Manager?
A proposal manager oversees the creation of compelling and compliant RFP responses. In addition to stellar organizational skills, they have a sharp eye for detail and a talent for wordsmithing—transforming input from various contributors into clear, persuasive proposals. On some teams, a proposal coordinator or proposal writer may take on these responsibilities.
The proposal manager’s role in response management is to:
- Lead the proposal team to produce high-quality, on-brand submissions
- Prioritize requests and allocate resources to meet deadlines
- Facilitate key meetings, including proposal kickoffs and review sessions
- Engage internal stakeholders to draft, review, and maintain RFP responses
- Ensure adherence to proposal procedures and governance requirements
- Implement systems that improve efficiency in the response process
Proposal managers excel in time management, organization, and written communication. Their ability to craft value-driven proposals ensures that the final submissions meet both the client’s needs and the RFP requirements. While they focus on the details of proposal writing, their role supports a bid manager’s broader oversight of the entire bidding process.
Bid Manager vs. Proposal Manager: The Key Differences Between Them
The bid manager and the proposal manager bring unique skills to fulfill their distinct responsibilities. Here are the key differences between the two roles:
| Bid Manager | Proposal Manager |
|---|---|
| Manages the full bid lifecycle | Manages the proposal response |
| Gets involved when a bid opportunity is identified and stays involved until a bid decision is made; also involved in contract renewals | Gets involved when an RFP is released and stays involved until the proposal is submitted |
| Has extensive engagement with customers, from actively understanding client requirements in the capture phase to presenting solutions and negotiating in the pursuit phase | Has minimal engagement with customers beyond interacting with the procurement team and submitting the proposal |
| Can engage with all levels and areas of the business to meet bid requirements | Mainly engages with proposal writers, graphic designers, and subject matter experts involved in the response process |
| Key skills include project management, stakeholder management, risk management, budgeting, communication, and negotiation | Key skills include proposal writing, editing, storytelling, project management, response management software |
| Has authority over the bid process, such as resource allocation, bid budget, and contract renewal strategy | Has authority over the content and design of the written proposal |
| Tracks metrics such as RFP win rate, capture rate, revenue secured, bid margin, and retention rate | Tracks metrics such as quality and volume of proposals, response time, cost per proposal, and RFP win rate |
Ultimately, these roles are distinct but highly complementary—the bid manager ensures the win strategy for each bid stays on course while the proposal manager brings that strategy to life on the page.
7 Ways These RFP Roles Can Work Closely Together
Bid managers and proposal managers are both essential to winning RFPs, but their different responsibilities and approaches can sometimes create friction. A bid manager focuses on strategy, logistics, and coordination, while a proposal manager is responsible for crafting persuasive, high-quality responses. These different priorities can lead to misalignment—such as a bid manager pushing for speed while a proposal manager needs more time to craft impactful responses.
Like any collaboration, working together effectively takes intentional effort. Here are ways to strengthen teamwork between bid managers and proposal managers.
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1. Clarify Roles and Responsibilities
Since companies vary in their bid team structure, it’s crucial to have clear job descriptions when bid managers and proposal managers work together. This not only helps with delegating bid responsibilities but also helps colleagues know whom to approach for different needs.
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2. Establish Effective Communication
Consistent, structured communication keeps the team aligned throughout the bid process. Set expectations around engagement like communication channels, check-in frequencies, and file-sharing practices to maintain efficiency.
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3. Run Productive Meetings
From kick-offs to proposal reviews, meetings keep bids on track. Make the most of face-to-face time by setting clear agendas, specifying meeting roles, and outlining key objectives beforehand. During the meeting, identify whether a bid manager or proposal manager will follow up with different action items.
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4. Align on a Win Strategy
A well-defined win strategy serves as the backbone of a persuasive bid. A bid manager ensures all team members understand the strategy, while a proposal manager ensures the strategy is reflected throughout the response.
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5. Create Accountability Systems
Tracking a bid’s progress is critical to meeting deadlines. Bid managers and proposal managers work hand-in-hand to facilitate a transparent process. A bid manager oversees the workback schedule for all RFP requirements and internal governance, while a proposal manager helps maintain progress and compliance.
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6. Learn and Improve Together
Bid managers and proposal managers can refine their approach by reviewing past opportunities together. These debriefs offer valuable insights that lead to process efficiencies and stronger future bids.
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7. Foster Trust and Mutual Support
A foundation of trust leads to a genuine desire to support each other. By respecting each other’s skills and staying flexible when needed, bid managers and proposal managers create a collaborative environment that drives success.
At the end of the day, both roles share the same goal: winning RFPs. When bid managers and proposal managers understand their responsibilities, communicate effectively, and support each other, their teamwork leads to more competitive proposals and better business outcomes.
💡Tip: Bid management software like Loopio enables bid managers and proposal managers to collaborate with ease and track a bid throughout its lifecycle.
How (And When) to Hire the Right Role for Your Organization
You may want to hire a bid manager or proposal manager—or even both—depending on factors such as your organization’s size, RFP volume, existing team structure, and the maturity of your response process.
In smaller organizations, bid team members often wear multiple hats. But as your RFP volume increases and the response process matures, clearly defined roles and responsibilities become essential. At this point, it’s helpful to look at where you have a skills gap and determine which role to hire next.
You May Want to Hire a Bid Manager If…
✓ Bid activities are falling through the cracks, and you need someone to corral resources, ensuring appropriate and timely action from the moment an opportunity is identified to the moment a contract is signed.
✓ Your proposals are missing the mark, and you need someone to coordinate across business departments to develop competitive, client-centric solutions and pricing.
✓ You’re worried about risk, and you need someone to have a deep understanding of your business to manage risk in the bidding process.
You May Want to Hire a Proposal Manager If…
✓ Your proposals are being rejected due to errors or non-compliance, and you need someone with attention to detail to ensure every submission is compliant and error-free.
✓ Your RFP submissions are veering from your brand and strategy, and you need someone to ensure your proposals adhere to your brand standards and win strategies.
✓ Your responses fail to resonate with clients, and you need a master storyteller to connect your solution to client needs.
✓ Your RFP volume has grown, and you need an expert organizer to manage the proposal team and implement efficiencies to meet business needs.
By pinpointing your internal challenges, you can identify your hiring needs. The next step is to attract the right candidates to join your team.
Do This, Not That: Hiring a Proposal or Bid Manager
❌ Don’t: Reuse an old job posting when your team structure has changed.
✅ Do: Craft a new job posting that reflects the current team structure.
❌ Don’t: Be too broad and perhaps unrealistic in the role description.
✅ Do: Analyze your business needs and understand proposal career paths to write a clear and realistic job description.
❌ Don’t: Match the wrong job title to the job description.
✅ Do: Clarify the new hire’s scope of work and match it to the job title that is appropriate for your region, industry, and language.
❌ Don’t: Offer an incompatible salary for the responsibilities and qualifications listed.
✅ Do: Research typical salaries for the role in your region and offer a suitable salary range.
The Ultimate RFP Duo: Bid Managers and Proposal Managers
Bid managers and proposal managers each play a distinct yet complementary role in the pursuit of new business. Bid managers choreograph the entire bid process, while proposal managers fine-tune the details of the written response. When organizations balance these roles effectively, they enable smoother workflows, smarter hiring, and stronger proposals.