Your First AI-Generated Proposal: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

BidStacker Team•February 20, 2026•9 min read

Step 1: Complete Your Profile

Before generating proposals, fill in your organization settings:

  • Business description and capabilities
  • NAICS codes and preferred states
  • Past performance records
  • Certifications and set-aside eligibility

    • The more detail you provide, the better your AI-generated content will be.

    Step 2: Find a Matching Contract

    Use the Search page to browse opportunities. Look for contracts with:

  • Match scores above 70%
  • Active deadlines (at least 2 weeks out)
  • Manageable contract sizes

    • Step 3: Start the Proposal Wizard

    Click "Start Proposal" on a contract detail page. The wizard guides you through:

  • **RFP Overview** — Review the opportunity details
  • **Readiness Check** — Confirm you meet key requirements
  • **Configuration** — Choose template, tone, and reference documents
  • **AI Generation** — Generate content for each section
  • **Review** — Check the generated draft

    • Step 4: Edit in the Proposal Editor

    The 3-panel editor gives you:

  • **Left**: Section navigation, reference docs, compliance panel
  • **Center**: Rich text editor (Tiptap)
  • **Right**: AI chat assistant for on-the-fly improvements

    • Use the AI floating toolbar to improve, expand, or shorten selected text.

    Step 5: Run Compliance Check

    Before submitting, run the compliance checker. It verifies:

  • Required sections are present
  • Formatting meets requirements
  • RFP requirements are addressed
  • Technical approach is aligned

    • Step 6: Submit

    Change your proposal status to "Submitted" and track the outcome in your dashboard.

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