ENGL 405: TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING INTERNET COURSE Dakota State University Dr. Mark Haas, AssistantProfessor of English
This example is fictional and is for illustration purposes only.
LETTERHEAD
August 12, 2006
Mr.Kevin J. Hanson, Director Newton Hills State Park Canton, South Dakota 57146
Dear Mr. Hanson:
Recently I noticed a letter in the editorial section of the Argus Leader in which the writer expressed concern over the present condition and problems relating to Newton Hills State Park, near Canton. A week later I read your reply to that letter, and I was very pleased to find that plans were being developed to improve park conditions. Having visited the park many times myself, I have become aware of the many design problems the park now holds.
Participation in outdoor recreation and related activities is growing tremendously across the country. Park managers and supervisors are finding their parks unable to stand the greatly increased use. Roads developed for a few Sunday visitors are almost totally inadequate for the masses of people who converge on parks on warm, sunny weekends and hills erode after large numbers of people trample the vegetation. Moreover, recent events such as the antique car show and the annual folk festival brought even more people into your park, putting an additional strain on the park's resources. However, these problems can be solved and more like them can be prevented.
Proposal
I propose that Sara Jen Forest Services, Inc. study and investigate the problems relating to the physical functionalism of Newton Hills State Park. Upon completing the investigation, we shall submit a report to you that will contain the proposed recommendations and modified park plan. This report and its attendant plan will remedy the park of its traffic flow problems.
Background
Park design has become a very complicated find difficu1t process. Along with the problem of aesthetics and moving people around inside the park, social function has become a problem of paramount importance. In other words, a park must offer the proper physical setting, as well as the proper social atmosphere for people to enjoy their recreational experience.
People come to parks for different reasons. Thus, individual needs have to be considered. At the same time, the park designer has to consider the whole population's needs. Satisfying all these needs involves using every possible area in the park, without creating a conflict in interests.
Procedure
The basic procedure for formulating our recommendations involves four steps and will take approximately ten weeks to complete.
Step one: I will analyze the park itself. Carefully studying the park, watching the users, and talking to visitors are parts of this step. Step two: After finding and defining the specific problem areas, I will do intensive research. I will investigate books, pamphlets, and numerous other written resources for appropriate solutions that have been attempted and have either succeeded or failed. Step three: I will question our staff of consultants about their experiences and ideas pertaining to specific problems. I will consider these answers in formulating feasible solutions. Step four: After I have completed these steps, I will make my final recommendations in a report that will be submitted to you within two weeks after the report is completed.
The ten weeks I propose should be more than adequate to prepare a report and plan which will increase your park visitors' enjoyment.
Cost
In the long run, the cost of this research will be small compared to the money it will save as a result of poor planning and over-use. The only costs will be my expenses and my labor. Our company policy is to assign one person to a project while the rest of our associates act as consultants. We pay our outside consultants on a set basis.
For this project, the rates are as follows:
My labor 30 hours @ $65.00 per hour $1950.00 Secretarial fees $ 100.00 Total Cost $2050.00
This amount will be payable within 10 days after our plan has been submitted to you.
Personnel and Qualifications
I believe that I am qualified to serve you, and I know that my staff of consultants is very qualified to help with the problem. I have a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Purdue University. I also hold a Master of Science in Recreation from The Ohio State University. After spending four years with Parks and Landscape Design in Omaha, I have just completed my third year with my own firm.
My staff of consultants consists of other park designers, my associates, university professors, and many other qualified individuals.
Feasibility
The best proof I can offer of my company’s success is our record. We have saved many people and communities large sums of money by our experience in design. For example, we were asked to consult in planning the design of a Pukwana, South Dakota City Park. Upon investigating the plans submitted we found that the sewer system drained directly into the proposed swimming pool. If the facilities had been built according to plans, the error would have cost thousands of dollars to repair; however, a simple change in plans resolved the problem before it became an actuality.
I realize that you serve the people not only in Canton, and Sioux Falls, but those in Southwest Minnesota, Northwest Iowa, and Northeast Nebraska as well. As you well know, visitation at all South Dakota State parks is up almost 15% over last year and New ton Hills has had an almost 20% increase so far this year. This increased visitation makes redesigning Newton Hills State Park very important. I hope you will seriously consider our bid and then accept it. If you have any questions or suggestions as to improving our methods and procedures, please call us anytime at (605) 366-1978. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Sonny Sundstrom Manager
SaraTen Forest Services, Inc.
Notes on This Example
LETTERHEAD: This example shows that you could use or design your own letterhead. Letterhead is typically centered horizontally on the page and takes up an inch to an inch and a half of space at the top of the page. If you use letterhead, make sure that you use it only for the first page.
AUGUST 12, 2006: This example follows what is called ''Block Form" in your text. Block form places everything at the left margin, with no indentation for paragraphs. Paragraphs are separated by one blank line. Block form is the most formal, and is too formal for some writers.
You may, if you prefer, use "Semi-block Form," which allows the Heading, Dateline, Complimentary Close, and Signature Block to be indented. The indentation is either set so that the longest line of these elements ends at the right margin, or set by tabbing over to the center point to begin typing each line of these indented elements.
However, in both formats, paragraphs are not indented and a colon follows the salutation.
HANSON: In both the block and semi-block formats, always follow the salutation with a colon. The comma is used only in informal, or personal letter formats, which are inappropriate for a letter of proposal.
RECENTLY I NOTICED: This statement provides some context for submitting the proposal. Since this proposal is unsolicited it needs to have some kind of rationale. In your assignment, you may refer to email correspondence or telephone conversation.
GROWING TREMENDOUSLY: This paragraph provides some background to the reader. Notice that this background is both general ("park supervisors find ... ") and specific to the park that he manages (“the antique car show and annual folk festival”). This paragraph shows the reader that the writer understands some of the problems that the reader faces.
I PROPOSE THAT: Again, this proposal is unsolicited. That means that the writer has to be very specific as to what he is proposing to do. In this case, the reader will receive a report and an attached plan. These documents will solve traffic flow problems at the park. It will not address other unstated concerns that the reader may have. Make it clear just what any proposal will provide. As your text points out, a proposal is a binding document. Any vagueness can lead to unpleasant circumstances.
PARK DESIGN HAS BECOME: This background section provides a more generic. background for the proposal. However, whereas the background paragraph above alluded to the problems faced by the reader, this background provides some avenues toward solutions. This section also shows how the information in this section win be incorporated into the overall solution and indicates the scope of what the writer proposes.
TEN WEEKS: Inherent in any proposal is a time schedule. Projects that involve several steps may also include a breakdown in hours. This tactic is a benefit to the reader (to see what he's paying for) and to the writer (to force him to budget specific amounts of time for the various tasks the involved in the project). Since this project is fairly simple, the time is given only in weeks, and no particular number of weeks is budgeted for any given step.
Note the concluding text for this section. You should always try to conclude each section with text, and not with figures, tables, or lists.
WILL BE SMALL COMPARED TO: The cost of the proposed project may seem high, especially to a park manager who deals with state funding and limited resources. This tactic shows reader benefit, comparing short term expense with long term savings.
I AM QUALIFIED: In proposals, especially unsolicited ones, it's important to catalog the writer's qualifications. Even when the reader and writer are known to each other, it never hurts to include a qualifications section, especially if the reader may not be the ultimate decision maker. Including qualifications is more professional.
PROPOSED SWIMMING POOL: This section is structured deductively, moving from a general statement (“we have saved many people”) to a very specific example of the company's success. This kind of specificity is persuasive. In a longer proposal you might consider including one or two more examples, if you have them, or indicate that you can provide the names of satisfied clients should the reader request them.
SERIOUSLY CONSIDER OUR BID: This final paragraph presents a sales pitch to the reader. The unstated assumption is that this problem is not going to go away and win probably only get worse .. Again, in an unsolicited proposal this technique allows the writer to end the proposal on a positive note, showing confidence and reader benefit.
