• Senior management re-writes the proposal at the Red Team Review stage
  Some senior managers don't understand the role of the chief, who makes the GO/NO-GO decision and then steps aside. Instead, they feel obliged to step in for "one last look." Invariably, they will see something they want to change, and just as invariably, that change grows to a major re-write and will "gum up the works."

• Proposal Managers change the production schedule because they are in charge
  Sometimes this is the result of politics; at other times it's simply due to a manager who feels the need to flex his muscle. A good Proposal Manager makes sure that the proposal schedule took into account matters like a secretary's vacation or the possibility of a death in the family.

• Technical Experts are ignored because the Marketing Manager knows better
  In most businesses, there's an ongoing struggle between the marketing people and the technicians. There's no time for this struggle in a proposal effort.
  

• Contracts officers not being included
  Too often, the contracts people are relegated to a "sign-off" role. "We'll worry about the contract details later," is a comment too commonly heard. It can signal the beginning of the end if untenable contract details are discovered at the last minute.

• Reviewers don't keep the schedule required for their reviews because they are busy with something else
  You can be sure that these are the same people who will remark later, after the proposal loses, that they could have told you there was a problem. The commitment a reviewer makes must be regarded as sacred. You need to know who the reliable reviewers are and refuse to use those who don't come through.