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14 · Format Spec
Brand System · 14 · Lockwood Advisory · MMXXVI
The
Proposal
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14 · Engagement Doc · Format Spec

The Proposal

The format that opens a relationship. Structured, priced, signed.

Live spec

When to use it

  • New client engagement pitch with narrative + scope + price.
  • Tender or RFP response requiring a formal document.
  • Significant scope of work needing signature acceptance.
  • Multi-phase projects with deliverables and milestones.

When NOT to use it

  • Already-priced specific work · use the Quote (16).
  • Ongoing terms · use the Engagement Scope (17).
  • Capability introduction without pricing · use the Capability Statement (19).

When this format is right

If the document needs to make a case AND set a price AND end in a signature, it's a Proposal. The Proposal is shorter than the prospect expects, and more considered.

Canonical reference

Encon Strategic Workshop Proposal v3 · May 2026 · canonical reference.

Tooling

Built with the docx skill. Output as .docx (editable) or .pdf (final, sent for signature).

Structure

  • Cover · client name, engagement title, date, LA letterhead
  • Executive summary · one page
  • The brief · what the client asked for
  • The approach · how LA proposes to do the work
  • Scope and deliverables · what gets produced
  • Timeline and milestones
  • Commercial · price, terms, GST
  • Signature page · acceptance
The DNA

LA letterhead, navy + gold + cream palette. Cormorant Garamond for section heads. Tenor Sans for body. Gold rule lines as section dividers. Footer with ABN.

The Anatomy

Cover page · Executive summary · Brief · Approach · Scope · Timeline · Commercial · Signature.

Typical length: 8-15 pages. The Encon v3 reference is 12 pages.

Voice rules

  1. Every section earns its place. Shorter than the prospect expects.
  2. The approach is specific. Not generic methodology.
  3. Price stated cleanly. No hedging language.
  4. Voice is first-person plural. 'We propose.'

Production checklist

  1. Client name correct everywhere
  2. Scope is specific and measurable
  3. Pricing aligned with finance portal
  4. Signature page present
  5. Em dash sweep
  6. Filename: LockwoodAdvisory_[Client]_Proposal_[YYYYMMDD].pdf
Prompt-ready brief · copy into any AI 
You are writing a Proposal for Lockwood Advisory.

CONTEXT
A formal engagement pitch with narrative + scope + price + signature. Sent to new clients or for tender responses.

STRUCTURE
- Cover (client, title, date)
- Executive summary (one page)
- Brief (what client asked)
- Approach (specific, not generic)
- Scope and deliverables
- Timeline and milestones
- Commercial (price, terms, GST)
- Signature page

VOICE
- First-person plural ("we propose").
- Every section earns its place. Shorter than expected.
- Specific approach, not generic methodology.
- Price stated cleanly, no hedging.

FORBIDDEN SYMBOLS (NEVER USE)
- No em dashes (—)
- No en dashes (–)
- No section symbol (§) — use plain numbers (01, 02) instead
- No curly quotes (“ ” ‘ ’) — use straight quotes (")
- No ellipsis character (…) — use three dots (...)
- Use middle dot . only as separator (the . shown here is U+00B7)

OUTPUT
Write a Proposal for [client] for [engagement scope], with the structure above.

What this block does

Drop this into Claude, GPT, Gemini, or any LLM to produce a The Proposal in the Lockwood Advisory format and voice without re-explaining each time.