Writing a Performance Works Statement, or PWS, is a little bit different than writing a traditional Technical Approach for Government Proposals.
If you’re new to writing a PWS, here are 8 tips to keep in mind before writing
1. Start with Compliance
Your PWS outline should be compliant above all else. If the instructions to offerers say the PWS should be structured in a certain way, then obviously do that. Otherwise, pay attention to how the objectives are laid out and ensure your PWS is responsive to each of the requirements in the instructions.
2. Make it easy to score.
“Proposals aren’t read, they’re scored.” If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a dozen times (or more). Is your proposal easy to read? Is it easy to scan? Did you use the government’s keywords back at them? Are section headings that address the requirements easy to locate and understand what they map to? Does your page count allow you to provide a crosswalk from the SOO to the PWS if you need one? Answering in the affirmative to these and similar questions puts your PWS on the right path from the beginning.
3. Know your audience
Your first step is to understand who will be reading your Performance Work Statement (PWS). Will it be Procurement Officials? Contracting officers? Program managers? All of the above? The answer is likely all of the above.
On top of that, you should know your Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP). What do they like to focus on? What do they consider table stakes that you have only to address but not expand upon? What keywords and acronyms to do they like to use? Once you know your audience, you can tailor the language and level of detail in your PWS to ensure that it meets their needs and expectations. Keep track of these language conventions on your wall of truth.
4. Keep it concise
While a PWS must provide enough detail to give the reader a clear understanding of what is expected, it should be as concise as possible. Long, dense documents are difficult to read and can overwhelm the reader. Be sure to break up your text into short, readable paragraphs and use bullet points where appropriate. This also helps with #2 above.
5. Map to the Objectives of your SOO
Before you begin writing, take some time to think about the overall objectives of your Statement of Objectives (SOO). What are the specific goals that you want to achieve? Can you map the work in the PWS to each objective? Once you have a clear understanding of your objectives, you can ensure that they are reflected in the language and structure of your PWS.
6. Be specific
When it comes to writing a PWS, specificity is key. Vague statements and generalities will not be helpful to the reader in understanding what is expected. Be sure to use concrete language and metrics wherever possible.
7. Use active voice
Using active voice will make your PWS more readable and easier to understand. In general, sentences written in active voice are shorter and simpler than those written in passive voice. For example, “The contractor will support the government” is written in an active voice. In contrast, “Support will be provided to the government by the contractor” is written in a passive voice.
8. Use positive language
When writing a PWS, it is important to use positive language that focuses on what is to be done rather than what is not. For example, rather than stating, “The contractor shall not provide support to the government to do the following,” you could say, “The contractor will provide support to the government in these areas.”
9. Edit and proofread your work
Once you have finished writing your PWS, edit and proofread it carefully. A well-written PWS is important in ensuring that your message is clear and concise. In addition, editing and proofreading can help to identify any errors or typos that may have been made during the writing process.