System and method for developing a proposal

• US 20070088561A1
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saint Louis University
• Original Assignee: Saint Louis University
• Inventors: Zeibig, Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US11/251,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

The invention is a computer-based system and method for developing a proposal, such as a grant or contract proposal, more preferably a laboratory management contract proposal. It provides an opportunity for individuals to apply concepts and hone proposal drafting skills that they have otherwise learned but need additional experience or practice to develop. The invention may be used as a teaching tool, but the inventor envisions the invention also being used in a commercial setting where proposal development is required. A preferred field in which this invention may be used as a teaching tool or in commercial competition is the field of laboratory management. The system comprises a CPU, a plurality of client computers, and a plurality of teams, wherein each team inputs a proposal into a client and the proposal is made available to another team on the CPU. The method comprises providing a set of instructions to a plurality of teams, each team collaborating to create a proposal satisfying the set of instructions, submitting a proposal to a supervisor, and making a proposal available to every team.

Claims

1. A computer network system for developing a proposal, the system comprising

a CPU,

at least one client coupled to the CPU, and

a plurality of teams;

wherein a team generates a proposal and inputs the proposal into a client such that the proposal is available on the CPU for another client or team to view.

2. The computer network system of claim 1, wherein the proposal is a laboratory management contract proposal.

3. The computer network system of claim 1, wherein the CPU is a remote server.

4. The computer network system of claim 1, wherein a team comprises at least two individuals.

5. The computer network system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the individuals is a student.

6. The computer network system of claim 1, wherein at least one client is a personal computer.

7. The computer network system of claim 1, wherein a team is restricted access to a proposal made available on the CPU until after the team has generated and inputted a proposal into a client such that the proposal inputted by the team is made available on the CPU for another team or client to view.

8. A computer network system for developing a laboratory management contract proposal, the system comprising a remote server, a plurality of personal computer clients coupled to the remote server, and a plurality of teams, each team comprising at least one student;

wherein each team generates a laboratory management proposal and inputs the proposal into a personal computer client such that the proposal is available on the server for other personal computer clients and teams to view.

9. A method for developing a proposal comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a set of instructions to a plurality of teams, wherein the set of instructions requires each team to create a proposal with a plurality of elements;

(b) collaborating to research each element of the plurality of elements;

(c) creating a proposal containing each element; and

(d) making a proposal available to each and every team.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions includes elements directed to a laboratory management scenario, the elements comprising (a) a cost-benefit analysis, (b) an organizational structure chart, (c) a marketing brochure, and (d) a determination of possible value-added services currently permitted by law.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one team comprises at least two team members.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the team members is a student.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the proposal is (a) inputted by a team into a client, (b) transmitted to a server, and (c) made available to other teams that can access the server through a client.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein a team presents a proposal to one or more other teams via an audio visual presentation.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein no two team members work together on any one element of the proposal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two team members work together on an element of the proposal.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

(a) comparing the proposals, (b) selecting one of the proposals as superior to the other proposals, and (c) notifying the teams of which proposal is the winning proposal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of rewarding the team that submitted the winning proposal.

19. A method for developing a laboratory management contract proposal comprising the steps of:

(a) a supervisor provides a laboratory management scenario to a plurality of teams, wherein

(i) the scenario comprises one or more required elements to be satisfied and requires each team to create a contract proposal that includes the one or more required elements, and

(ii) each team comprises at least two individuals, at least one of which is a student;

(b) the at least two individuals of a team collaborate to research each and every required element of the contract proposal;

(c) each team creates a contract proposal;

(d) each team submits the contract proposal to a server by inputting the contract proposal into a client that is operably linked to the server;

(e) once a team has submitted a contract proposal, then that team is granted access via the server to one or more contract proposals submitted by one or more other teams.