proposal-estimator

Proposal Estimator

Analyze client RFP/BOQ packages, assess staffing gaps against company capabilities, and generate complete commercial proposals with pricing estimates for engineering consultancy services.

What It Does

This plugin automates the end-to-end proposal workflow for engineering consultancy firms bidding on infrastructure projects (water, power, roads, buildings) in the ~~region region.

Every extracted item is traced back to its source — file name, page number, sheet, and row — so you can verify any finding against the original RFP documents.

Workflow:

1. Analyze RFP — Parse client documents (PDF, Excel, Word) and extract scope by discipline, staffing requirements, and commercial terms — with source references for every item
2. Gap Analysis — Compare RFP requirements against your staff list to identify what's available in-house, what needs hiring, and what should be subcontracted — with RFP source traceability
3. Estimate Proposal — Apply your rate card to calculate pricing with Excel formulas, grouped by consultancy stage — with a Source Traceability sheet linking costs to RFP requirements
4. Generate Proposal — Create a complete proposal package: Excel pricing workbook, Word report, and PowerPoint presentation — with source references in documents and speaker notes

Commands

Command	Description
/analyze-rfp	Reads all client documents and produces a structured RFP Analysis Summary
/gap-analysis	Compares RFP staffing needs vs. company capabilities
/estimate-proposal	Calculates proposal pricing using your rate card
/generate-proposal	Creates the full proposal package (Excel + Word + PowerPoint)
/portfolio-analysis	Cross-references RFP scope against your project portfolio and proposal pipeline — win rates, financials, and profitability scenarios

Setup

Every command will check for required setup data before starting and will ask you to provide any missing files. Prepare your data in the setup/ folder using the provided templates as a guide.

Required Setup Files

File to Create	Template Provided	Description
setup/org_capabilities.md	org_capabilities_template.md	Copy the template, fill in your company profile, disciplines, certifications, project references, and differentiators
setup/rate_card.csv	(includes sample rates)	Replace sample rates with your actual billing rates by staff category (hourly, ~~currency)
setup/staff_list.csv	(includes sample staff)	Replace sample staff with your actual team — roles, disciplines, experience, availability

Data Files (Provide Your Own Exports)

File to Provide	Template for Format	Description
Projects export (.xlsx)	projects_template.xlsx	Export from your PM system — all current/past projects with contract values, actual costs, profit %, hours, and status
Proposals export (.xlsx)	proposals_template.xlsx	Export from your BD system — all submitted proposals with estimated values, clients, win/loss status, and dates

Place the projects and proposals export files in your working folder alongside the RFP documents. The plugin will prompt you for them when needed.

Setup Verification

Each command runs a Step 0: Verify Setup Data check before doing any work. If a required file is missing or still contains only sample/template data, the command will stop and tell you exactly what's needed. You won't lose any progress — just provide the file and re-run the command.

Organization Capabilities Profile

Drives the compliance check, company overview in proposals, and "Why Choose Us" content. Covers company profile, discipline capabilities (CORE / CAPABLE / PARTNER / NONE), sector experience, project references, certifications, software, subcontractor network, capacity, and differentiators.

Rate Card

Your company billing rates. Example columns:

Category_Code	Category_Name	Department	Hourly_Rate_AED
PM-SE	PM Senior Engineer	Project Management	750
PM-E	PM Engineer	Project Management	400
ENG-SE	Senior Engineer	Engineering	250
ENG-E	Engineer	Engineering	200
ENG-JE	Junior Engineer	Engineering	100
ENG-SD	Senior Designer	Engineering	120
ENG-D	Designer	Engineering	100

Staff List

Your current team and availability. Example columns:

Name	Current_Role	Discipline	Experience_Years	Availability
Ahmed Khan	Senior PM	Project Management	18	Available Apr 2026
John Smith	Senior Civil Eng	Civil	14	Available

Projects Export