May the best proposal win

When large contracts are at stake, companies turn to Katherine Ladouceur for her proposal-writing talents

Like many of the people she meets in Revelstoke, Katherine Ladouceur has a smile on her face; she looks forward to ingraining herself in the local business community. — Glynis Fediuk photo

Those who have worked or travelled internationally will know the detail-oriented process that accompanies a passport or visa application. Documents need to be correctly filled out and organized. A missing or incorrectly recorded piece of data could jeopardize the entire application.

This kind of form-filling can be stressful for many people—but it's all part of a workday for Katherine Ladouceur.

Ladouceur is the owner of OnPoint Proposals, based in Revelstoke. Ladouceur writes proposals for companies bidding on municipal-, provincial- and federal-level projects; her work involves putting the required information in the correct format, while also magnifying a client's suitability for the project.

"There’s several reasons companies might hire me," said Ladouceur. "They might not have the understanding of how to put a document together, because a lot of times in, say, an engineering company, they focus on engineering—how to build a building or a road. They don’t sit down and write lengthy proposals about what they're doing. They would hire someone like me when they have a large bid to put together and I would manage that process. In other cases, large companies have a proposal-writing department, but just have too many proposals to write and need help for a short period of time."

The vast majority of Ladouceur's business is conducted from her home. She interacts with companies via emails and conference calls, a change from the traditional office-bound proposal writing. Working remotely from a small community does have its challenges, such as marketing a service many aren't familiar with—Ladouceur's is a niche market, often requiring explanation about the exact nature of her job. Occasionally, she has to convince clients that working from afar will work.

That isn't to say Ladouceur doesn't enjoy working in Revelstoke—quite the opposite. Originally from Ottawa, she moved to Vancouver in 2005. A couple of years later, she moved to Kelowna, where her boyfriend was finishing electrical schooling. This move provided the opportunity for Ladouceur to start OnPoint Proposals; the business took off in December of 2008. Prior to running her own company, Ladouceur had worked as a proposal writer for mapping and engineering firms. 

Ladouceur and her partner moved to Revelstoke in December of 2010; as avid fans of the outdoors, were keen on the opportunities for mountain biking, skiing and hiking.

"Revelstoke is an interesting place, and we love it," she said. "It has growing to do; there’s a lot of opinions as to where the town is going and there are a lot of unknowns. But many believe in the town and are really happy with it, and thus far the community is amazing—everybody I meet has a smile on their face."

A workday could include a phone call with a client to discuss the requirements of the proposal document. Over a matter of weeks, designated subject matter experts—for example, a geotechnician or structural engineer—will submit the required information to Ladouceur. She then organizes and edits the information, formatting it in the way required by the specific proposal. She provides feedback and ensures that the proposal has a professional cover page and any necessary graphics. After a management review and any final edits, the bid is ready for submission.

Working remotely and managing the stress of juggling numerous deadlines hasn't stopped Ladouceur from having significant successes.

"There were a couple of large proposal submissions that were successful in the Greater Vancouver area for a company that does dredging in the Fraser River," said Ladouceur. "But I really like working with both big and small companies. When you help a small company get off the ground by winning a contract and they can learn something from the process, that’s really satisfying for me. It's the same as winning a billion-dollar contract."