Shipley Associates is the gold standard in proposal methodology training. Its Capture and Proposal Guide defines best practices used by most large defense and federal contractors.
| Feature | ProposalApp | Shipley Associates / Shipley Process |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal Generation | Cited draft sections in minutes, following Section L | Training framework, not a tool; you write manually |
| Capture Intelligence | Recompete Radar, Company Intel, Contract Intel, Market Intelligence, and Agency Contacts | Capture planning taught; your team gathers the data |
| Compliance Assurance | Automated RFP parsing and compliance matrix generation | Taught as a skill; no automated checking |
| Color Review Support | Win Score grades each draft against Section M; re-score after every revision | Pink, Red, and Gold team reviews by trained reviewers |
| Time to Proposal | First draft in about 20 minutes | Weeks following the color review process |
| Cost | Free to start; paid plans from $49/mo billed annually | $3,000 to $10,000+ per training course per person |
| Methodology Depth | GovCon best practices built into each step | Decades of proven methodology |
| Scalability | Many pursuits in parallel without adding headcount | Scales with trained staff availability |
ProposalApp: Best for small and mid-size contractors who need to win without building a full BD and capture team. Also a strong drafting layer for Shipley-trained teams.
Shipley Associates / Shipley Process: Best for large primes pursuing $50M+ contracts where capture strategy, color reviews, and deep methodology rigor are table stakes.