Proposal Writer / Manager

iLabs Inc; Washington; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Company holidays

Job summary

iLabs Inc. is seeking a Proposal Writer/Manager to lead and produce compliant responses to federal solicitations while supporting capture and business development. This hands-on role requires writing and managing proposals, schedules, and compliance across pursuits with leadership and teaming partners.

You will coordinate inputs, run color team reviews, and help refine templates for future efficiency, contributing to iLabs' federal growth and success.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience responding to federal RFI, RFP, and RFQ solicitations is required.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end proposal development for federal RFI, RFP, and RFQ responses, from kickoff through submission
• Write, edit, and tighten proposal content (technical, management, and past performance volumes) in a clear, compliant, and persuasive federal voice
• Build and maintain compliance matrices, proposal schedules, and outlines tied directly to solicitation requirements (Sections L and M)
• Coordinate inputs from subject matter experts, capture leads, pricing, and contracts, and turn rough input into finished proposal sections
• Plan and run color team reviews (pink, red, gold) and incorporate reviewer feedback under tight deadlines
• Support capture activities: competitive intelligence, teaming partner coordination, capture plans, and win theme development
• Support broader BD and Capture activities: Attend BD networking events, opportunity qualification, pipeline tracking, past performance and resume database maintenance, and content library management
• Help develop and refine proposal templates, boilerplate, and reusable content to improve efficiency on future pursuits
• Track solicitation amendments, Q&A submissions, and compliance requirements throughout the proposal lifecycle

Skills

Federal proposal writing

Proposal management

Storytelling in proposal narratives

Capturing and BD support

Independent and collaborative work

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

GovWin

SAM.gov

Salesforce

Job description

Company: iLabs Inc.

Location: Remote (US) – candidates based in the Kansas City metro or Washington DC / Maryland / Virginia (DMV) area strongly preferred

Employment Type: Full-time

Eligibility: Must be a US citizen and able to obtain a Public Trust position

About iLabs

iLabs Inc. is a Kansas-based federal IT small business (headquartered in Overland Park, KS) with a 10-year track record delivering application development, modernization, and operations & maintenance support to federal civilian agencies. We hold 8(a), Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged WOSB (EDWOSB) certifications, and we perform work under GSA MAS, OASIS+ 8(a), OASIS+ WOSB, STARS III, and SEWP VI contract vehicles.

Our teams focus on application O&M, DevSecOps, cloud modernization, and applied AI for mission-critical federal systems, supporting a combined user base of thousands of end users with a strong track record of SLA performance and CPARS ratings. As we grow our federal footprint, we're looking for a Proposal Writer/Manager to help us win the next generation of work.

The Role

iLabs is seeking a Proposal Writer/Manager to lead and produce compelling, compliant responses to federal solicitations, while also supporting capture and business development activities. This is a hands-on role for someone who can both write and manage: you'll draft and edit proposal content yourself and also own the process, schedule, and compliance for each pursuit. As a small business, we need someone comfortable wearing multiple hats and working closely with leadership, subject matter experts, and teaming partners.

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end proposal development for federal RFI, RFP, and RFQ responses, from kickoff through submission
• Write, edit, and tighten proposal content (technical, management, and past performance volumes) in a clear, compliant, and persuasive federal voice
• Build and maintain compliance matrices, proposal schedules, and outlines tied directly to solicitation requirements (Sections L and M)
• Coordinate inputs from subject matter experts, capture leads, pricing, and contracts, and turn rough input into finished proposal sections
• Plan and run color team reviews (pink, red, gold) and incorporate reviewer feedback under tight deadlines
• Support capture activities: competitive intelligence, teaming partner coordination, capture plans, and win theme development
• Support broader BD and Capture activities: Attend BD networking events, opportunity qualification, pipeline tracking, past performance and resume database maintenance, and content library management
• Help develop and refine proposal templates, boilerplate, and reusable content to improve efficiency on future pursuits
• Track solicitation amendments, Q&A submissions, and compliance requirements throughout the proposal lifecycle

What You Bring

• Required: Demonstrated experience responding to federal RFI, RFP, and RFQ solicitations is required
• Prior experience as a proposal writer and/or proposal manager in the federal government contracting space
• Working knowledge of proposal development methodology (e.g., Shipley or similar) and FAR-based solicitation structures
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate technical input into clear, compelling proposal narrative
• Comfort managing multiple concurrent proposal efforts and deadlines in a small business environment
• Willingness and interest in supporting capture and BD activities beyond proposal writing alone
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with executive leadership, given the size of the team
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience

Preferred:

• Experience supporting small business, 8(a), or WOSB proposal efforts
• Familiarity with GSA MAS, OASIS+, STARS III, SEWP, or similar federal contract vehicles
• Experience with civilian agencies such as USDA, DOL, or FDA
• Experience with proposal and capture management tools (e.g., GovWin, SAM.gov, Salesforce, or similar)
• Based in or open to travel/coordination with the Kansas City or DMV area
• All federal holidays observed as company holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Why iLabs

At iLabs, you won't be one writer among many on a large capture team, your work will directly shape whether we win. You'll have a seat at the table with leadership, visibility into the full BD lifecycle, and the chance to build proposal processes and capabilities as we grow. This is an opportunity for someone who wants ownership and impact, not just a writing assignment.