how to how do i make proposals

[chief_of_da_fence]

long story short I have several prototypes on the drawing board for different types of military equipment. some of which is very doable and revolutionary.
I am a naval reservist and I want to follow through with these projects . other than the div system what instruments are available for members of the CF to try to make recommendation s in regards to prototyping of military hardware.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Wait for the Department of National Defence (DND) to identify a requirement, prepare a Statement of Requirement (SOR) and then invite bids. Be prepared to build a prototype at your own expense to prove the concept, especially if you don't have proven manufacturing capability to demonstrate your ability to meet the quality level and timelines expected of the potential contact.

Alternatively, you may want to look for interest among the community of Defence Contractors who produce and sell the type of equipment you are attempting to design, though you may not have any final say in which countries they choose to sell to.

 

[McG]

It is generally not good practice to invest in things that there is no need for.  If you have found a problem that needs to be fixed and have a concept that meets that need, then you might get somewhere with it.

Write a memo that identifies the need and your conceptual solution to it.  Then staff that up the food chain.

Or, get a job working for ADM(Mat).

 

[chief_of_da_fence]

my problem is that there is a requirement for this "widget" and people are only interested in buying what they see on the shelf. I have been researching the widget for 7 years and decided, of course in my opinion, that we as Canadians can make a better "widget" but people are complacent and with no research they feel that American widgets are the best we will get. now i talk to my superiors and all they see is an NCM as appose to a service member with 14 years of " widget" experience 5 years as the fleet "widget " instructor" long story short I'm hitting my head on a brick wall .and i am looking for a remedy for this complacency. how do i ensure that a recommendation will make it past the unit level. and to an appropriate person.its my  opinion that the "widget" OPI IN OTTAWA  has no knowledge of "widgets"and is more of a contract analyst / specialist this person isn't interested in new technology and i just want a chance to put my two cents in.

 

[Michael OLeary]

CFAO 99-2 -- INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

http://www.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/099-02_e.asp

Suggestion Award Program (see Annex A)

 

[Bean]

The GoC generally does its business through a centralized service called MERX (http://www.merx.com).  There are regularly requests for proposals, information, or feasability studies and departmental research posted here with estimate dollar values for contracts etc.  Check it out and see what the various departments and organizations say they need.  Oth er than that the rewards program is likely your best bet.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Another possibility is to talk to the good folks at CASR.  I went from sending them a rambling rant on how the MGS doesn't have the capabilities of the Leopard MBT in urban ops, and how a dedicated Close Assault Tank variant of the Leopard could be developed.

Send them a description of your proposal and see if they want to publish it online for you.  At the least it will generate some discussion...

 

[Infanteer]

Patent it first so no one steals your "widget Version 2.0" idea.

 

[chief_of_da_fence]

Another possibility is to talk to the good folks at CASR.   I went from sending them a rambling rant on how the MGS doesn't have the capabilities of the Leopard MBT in urban ops, and how a dedicated Close Assault Tank variant of the Leopard could be developed.

Send them a description of your proposal and see if they want to publish it online for you.   At the least it will generate some discussion...

I actually contacted them a while ago just for kicks they do want to do an article on the " whidget" maybe ill gice them a shout . ty

 

[DJFC2-5-2]

You can also look into the Defense Research & Development Canada world. DRDC Atlantic in Halifax is the most logical one that could have related research projects on the table that could leverage your idea.

 

[chief_of_da_fence]

I guess what I need is to find out exactly how to make a unsolicited proposal.

 

[DJFC2-5-2]

There are no defined rules for unsolicited proposal to my knowledge. In my view, what you have to do is contact the Canadian Defence Industry Association (http://www.cdia.ca/) since they probably have experience with this kind of thing, and you could potentially find a strong partner that would take the risk on the engineering work and preparatory work that may be needed to present a proposal.

If you want to do it by yourself, be advised that chances are you will be turned down, since the CF won't spent to much ressources investigating your ideas unless they are well presented with underlined study work, etc... but since we don't know what are your widgets, that may or may not be applicable.

In any case, this is what needs to be covered in order to be considered for acquisition/development/implementation.

It starts with identification of capability deficiency(ies). What can't we do that we should be able to do, or that we should be able to do better, and for which we don't have the capability to do. Now, there are two possibilities: -this capability deficiency already have been identified, or not.

In the case it has been identified, it may or may not have been addressed. You need to find out if for the specific requirement an acquisition project has been stood up or not. You may find it by making a request for information through the department's ATI (Access to information) office. Unless the requirement you want to address is classified, you will know if there are any plans within DND to address the issue.

Projects need a sponsor, a project leader and a project director. If dealing with a navy specific issue, the CMS (Chief of Maritime Staff) would more than likely be the project sponsor for your particular widget. Project sponsor are normally level one's responsibility, unless it is something fairly small. If there is no project in place, you need to find a point of contact within the sponsor organisation that would more than likely be in a position to institute a project. For the Navy that would be DMR (Director of Maritime Requirements). Under this directorate, try to find out who looks after the type of requirement your widget is trying to address.

Then you need to send documentation and present your ideas. If considered, a study may be necessary to evaluate the value of your initiative, and find out if it fits within the sponsor plans. If so, a business case could be initiated by the sponsor organisation to start a project at the identification phase.

Identification phase will determine the specific capability deficiencies, lay out a notional cost and duration for the project, and identify possible options to solve the issue. Those options may or may not contain your proposed solution. If approved by  a senior review board (SRB), the project would then be officially stood up, given a financial status, would have a project leader and project director, and would enter project option analysis phase. This phase will capture the requirements, prepare a statement of operational requirement (SOR) and identify and cost a preferred option. Another SRB will decide if the project go forward and if so, Treasury Board will likely approve a funding envelope, if the project importance warrants it.

The project will then enter definition phase. That is where your widget would be assessed as a possible solution. If so, by then you would be very familiar with the process and would know probably more that I do on the matter.

Normal timeline for a generic project is about 3-8 months to prepare for identification approval. About 12 months for Option Analysis, and a number of months to get TB approval. Then a few months to get the necessary project staff and contractors so identification activities can take place.

That is why you would really need a industry partner in this, or one of the Research establishment (DRDC). The first one because of its experience in this, and the other one because they may be in the process of trying to find a solution to the same deficiency you are trying to plug your widget into. Therefore, they could ease the process you are going to get in.

Now if there is already a project in place to take care of your identified requirement, and that you are lucky and they are in the definition phase, it would be the right timing to present a solution, that would be to the project director more likely. Any solution must meet certain criterias, and competing solutions could be assessed against those. You must find what those criterias are so you can prepare.

I would therefore advise you to contact the industry, which do have a lot of experience with unsolicited proposals, and find out who would be your POC in DND.

Good luck.

 

[Kirkhill]

Patent it first so no one steals your "widget Version 2.0" idea.

I hesitate to disagree with Infanteer but based on personal experience with some large projects I would recommend AGAINST patenting much of anything. 

Patenting takes a long time and a fair amount of money.  It also only applies in countries in which you register the patent.  Nothing prevents someone in another country reading this months listing of patented ideas, getting your detailed submission and going ahead and making it elsewhere for sale elsewhere - all as a result of your work.

As well, unless you detail all the variants of the device that might be similar there is nothing to prevent someone in your own country saying: a) instead of connecting parts in sequence A-B-C we connected the A-C-B and produced a different machine or b) this is common knowledge in any event and in the public domain. 

You of course can then take them to court and defend your patent.  How many lawyers do you have on staff?  How many lawyers does Lockheed Martin have?

Best answer, if it is a good idea, go to a small to midsize company with a long reputation and find somebody you can trust personally.  Once the idea is in "the public domain" the only way to beat the competition is to run faster ie market better, sell more sooner, modify faster generally make everybody else say "Me Too......"  That takes an organization.

Next question: Who do you trust?

Cheers and best of luck

 

[Fry]

I hesitate to disagree with Infanteer but based on personal experience with some large projects I would recommend AGAINST patenting much of anything.  

Patenting takes a long time and a fair amount of money.   It also only applies in countries in which you register the patent.   Nothing prevents someone in another country reading this months listing of patented ideas, getting your detailed submission and going ahead and making it elsewhere for sale elsewhere - all as a result of your work.

As well, unless you detail all the variants of the device that might be similar there is nothing to prevent someone in your own country saying: a) instead of connecting parts in sequence A-B-C we connected the A-C-B and produced a different machine or b) this is common knowledge in any event and in the public domain.  

You of course can then take them to court and defend your patent.   How many lawyers do you have on staff?   How many lawyers does Lockheed Martin have?

Best answer, if it is a good idea, go to a small to midsize company with a long reputation and find somebody you can trust personally.   Once the idea is in "the public domain" the only way to beat the competition is to run faster ie market better, sell more sooner, modify faster generally make everybody else say "Me Too......"   That takes an organization.

Next question: Who do you trust?

Cheers and best of luck

I tend to disagree with you, and agree with Infanteer. In the case that the proposed 'widget' is a very good idea and the CF is interested and would like to develop some to run test trials, etc... then someone takes the idea as their own and makes money off it.

It's better to be safe, then sorry... and waste hours of work and effort to some tard rogue.

 

[Kirkhill]

I tend to disagree with you,

Your privilege, many do.

Cheers.

Edit:  There is one way you can safeguard yourself.  Record and date-stamp all your notes and scribbles, your diaries, and all communications.  Take notes of telephone conversations and date them.  Register mail deliveries or courier deliveries. 

All these go to demonstrate the origin of an idea and who presented it to whom when.  This is useful if you do decide to apply for a patent but it also serves to provide a case in support of origin and ownership.  At least that was the instructions given to us by our corporate lawyers.

By the way, as a company of 20 to 30 thousand and 20 Billion euros in equpment sales internationally that Swedish based company pursued very few patents.

 

[DJFC2-5-2]

My brother-in-law did invent a few products as a micro-biologist (he has his own company). For all that is worth, he thought about getting his inventions a patent, but finally didn't and had receive advice in against patenting by his lawyer.

The reason being when you do get a patent, you actually need to expose your blueprints, plans, or formulas, and then everyone looking up your patent then just has to take it and go somewhere where you didn't patent it.

What is better is trademarking the name of your invention. If you successfully market it, then it doesn't matter as much if other try to copy it. First they would have to really figure out by themselves how to do it, since they would not have a patent to explain it all to them, and then, if your product is successful, it will keep being that way.

People buy Nike running shoes because of their belief in the brand name, even if you have similar products or even better products out there, but the confidence in the other products is not there.

Anyway, that is what he explained to me.

 

[geo]

DJCF2-5-2
uhhh.... WRT the advice you gave on Patents.... same goes for TM registrations.... they're Country specific (Though EU is one large block).
Have had my own personal experience with a product line we distributed in Canada. The Mfg could not be bothered to TM in Canada so after 2 or 3 yrs we did it..... boy was he ever surprised a few years later when he decided to drop us and "then" tried to TM in Canada..... Sorry.... already taken - he sued... or at least he tried to sue.... he lost and had to eat humble pie.

 

[McG]

Some companies will not even look at an idea if you do not have a patent.  It assures them you are the rightful owner of the idea (and I suppose it provides a measure of protection if your uncle's neighbour decides to drag them to court and claim it was his idea).

 

[redleafjumper]

If the question is how to make an unsolicited proposal, that is when the writer has the solution to a problem that the potential client is unaware of, then such a document would follow this format:

  a.  Summary of what exactly is proposed.  Include basic information to put the client in the picture
  b.  An introduction that discusses the background of the proposal and establishes the need for the product or service
  c.  A detailed action plan (Gantt Chart) that provides the specific information about the work or service to be provided
  d.  Credentials of the company, person or people involved
  e.  Examples of other successful projects and possibly references
  f.  An accurate and detailed budget
  g.  Any appendix information that will support the proposal.


When making a proposal ensure that you understand the client's needs, that you are able to fulfill the claims that you are making and that you are committed to making the project a success.  Perhaps that is what you are looking for here.