shawnpang/startup-founder-skills/proposal-generation

Proposal Generation

When to Use

• Starting a new client engagement and need a contract or proposal fast
• Client asks for a proposal with pricing and timeline
• Partnership or vendor relationship requiring an MSA
• Protecting IP or confidential information with an NDA
• Need a Statement of Work with a deliverables matrix
• EU/DACH project requiring GDPR-compliant data clauses

Context Required

From startup-context or the user:

• Document type — Contract, proposal, SOW, NDA (mutual/one-way), or MSA
• Jurisdiction — US (Delaware), EU (GDPR), UK (post-Brexit), or DACH (German law)
• Engagement type — Fixed-price, hourly, or retainer
• Parties — Names, roles, business addresses
• Scope summary — 1-3 sentences describing the engagement
• Financial terms — Total value, hourly rate, or retainer amount
• Timeline — Start date, end date or duration, milestone dates
• Special requirements — IP assignment, white-label, subcontractors, exclusivity

Workflow

1. Gather requirements — Read startup-context if available. Collect all eight inputs listed above. Flag any missing item as REQUIRED.
2. Select document type — Match the engagement to the right format: fixed-price contract, consulting retainer, SaaS partnership, NDA, SOW, or full proposal.
3. Apply jurisdiction rules — Select clause variants based on governing law. US uses work-for-hire doctrine; EU requires explicit IP assignment deeds; DACH requires transfer of Nutzungsrechte since authors retain moral rights under BGB.
4. Draft the document — Fill all sections using structured Markdown with bracketed placeholders for client-specific data. Include the key clauses table below.
5. Add GDPR addendum if needed — For EU/DACH engagements handling personal data, attach a Data Processing Addendum per Art. 28 GDPR covering data categories, sub-processors, and cross-border transfer mechanisms.
6. Review for common pitfalls — Check for missing IP assignment language, vague acceptance criteria, no change order process, jurisdiction mismatches, and missing liability caps.
7. Provide conversion instructions — Include Pandoc commands for DOCX output with legal-style numbered sections.

Output Format

Deliver a complete document in structured Markdown containing:

1. Header block — Effective date, party names, addresses
2. Services / scope — Detailed deliverables with acceptance criteria and dates
3. Payment terms — Milestone-based, net-30, or retainer schedule with late payment interest
4. Intellectual property — Ownership assignment, pre-existing IP licenses, portfolio rights
5. Confidentiality — Duration (2-5 years standard, perpetual for trade secrets)
6. Warranties — As-is disclaimer or limited fix warranty (30/90-day)
7. Liability cap — 1x contract value standard, 3x for high-risk engagements
8. Termination — For cause (14-day cure) and for convenience (30/60/90-day notice)
9. Dispute resolution — Jurisdiction-appropriate arbitration (AAA/ICC/LCIA/DIS)
10. Signature block — Both parties with date lines

Frameworks & Best Practices

Key Clauses Reference

Jurisdiction-Specific Rules

• US (Delaware): Work-for-hire doctrine applies under Copyright Act 101. Arbitration via AAA Commercial Rules. Non-competes enforceable with reasonable scope/time.
• EU (GDPR): Must include Data Processing Addendum for any personal data. IP assignment may require separate written deed. Arbitration via ICC.
• UK (post-Brexit): Governed by English law. IP under Patents Act 1977 / CDPA 1988. UK GDPR applies. Arbitration via LCIA Rules.
• DACH: BGB governs contracts. Written form required for certain clauses (para 126 BGB). Authors retain moral rights — must explicitly transfer Nutzungsrechte. Non-competes max 2 years with compensation required (para 74 HGB). Include Schriftformklausel.

Pricing Presentation Strategy

Present three tiers to anchor the prospect and make the middle option feel natural:

Always lead with value before cost. Show ROI math: "This investment of $X saves $Y, paying for itself in Z months."

SOW-Specific Guidance

A Statement of Work is operational, not persuasive. Key sections:

• Deliverables table — Each deliverable gets a row: description, acceptance criteria, delivery date
• RACI matrix — Roles and responsibilities for each workstream
• Change management — How to handle scope changes and the approval process
• Payment schedule — Tied to milestones, not just calendar dates
• Assumptions — Conditions the timeline and price depend on

Common Pitfalls

1. Missing IP assignment language — "Work for hire" alone is insufficient in EU; DACH needs explicit Nutzungsrechte transfer
2. Vague acceptance criteria — Always define what "accepted" means with written sign-off and rejection windows
3. No change order process — Scope creep kills fixed-price projects; add a clause for out-of-scope work
4. Jurisdiction mismatch — Choosing Delaware law for a German-only project creates enforcement problems
5. Missing liability cap — Without a cap, one bug could mean unlimited damages
6. Oral amendments — Always require written amendments signed by both parties

Disclaimer: Not a substitute for legal counsel. Use these as strong starting frameworks; review with an attorney for high-value or complex engagements.

Related Skills

• sales-script — Use for the sales conversations that precede the proposal
• cold-outreach — Use to generate the initial conversations that lead to proposal-stage deals

Examples

Prompt: "I need a fixed-price contract for a $45K web app project with a German client."

Good output snippet:

# SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
 
Effective Date: [DATE]
Client: [CLIENT LEGAL NAME], [ADDRESS] ("Client")
Developer: [YOUR LEGAL NAME / COMPANY], [ADDRESS] ("Developer")
 
Governing Law: German law (BGB)
Arbitration: DIS Rules, [CITY]
 
## 2. PAYMENT
Total Fee: EUR 45,000
 
| Milestone | Amount | Due |
|-----------|--------|-----|
| Contract signing | 50% (EUR 22,500) | Upon execution |
| Beta delivery | 25% (EUR 11,250) | [DATE] |
| Final acceptance | 25% (EUR 11,250) | Within 5 days of acceptance |
 
## 3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Upon receipt of full payment, Developer assigns all Nutzungsrechte
(usage rights) in the Work Product to Client. Developer retains moral
rights per German copyright law (UrhG).