Friday, May 16, 2008

How to write a Letter of Intent?

How to write a Letter of Intent?
Also known as: letter of intent to bid, letter of intent to submit a proposal, letter of interest, letter for expression of interest to bid, proof of intent letter, or expression of interest letter.
What is a Letter of Intent?
Definition of a Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is basically a written statement expressing the sender's intention, should certain circumstances arise, to take or forgo some action, like entering into a future agreement with the recipient, or, more generally, carrying out business activities mentioned in the letter of intent.
The letter of intent in the solicitation process
In the solicitation and selection context, the letter of intent tells the company issuing the Request for Proposal (RFP) that you are interested not only in submitting a proposal in response, but also in receiving all RFP updates and modifications. It's also referred as a letter of intent to bid or a letter of intent to submit a proposal.
Is the letter of intent a binding document?

A letter of intent is neither an offer or a contract. Thus, it doesn't oblige its writer and, consequently, cannot be enforced. Although the letter of intent is not, by essence, a binding document, we may often find at the bottom or, even worse, in the body of the letter of intent a paragraph stating and reinforcing the non-binding character of the letter of intent. This mention is usually inserted under the pressure of a legal attorney, or any legal advisor or department considering the letter of intent as a binding document, and not as a mere agreement to agree in the future, unless a mention states the contrary.
"In order to be a valid and enforceable agreement, a document must contain certain essential legal provisions and must not leave either undecided or to be determined at some time in the future any aspect of such essential legal provisions. If these essential elements are not present, then the document is not a binding one and is often referred to by courts as an agreement to agree or a letter of intent, both of which are not enforceable as contracts. (...) Thus, the letter of intent is essentially a legally worthless document."

Excerpt from The Letter of Intent,by Ivan Hoffman, Attorney at Law.

Letter of Intent Templates and Samples
The request for proposal (RFP) rejection letter is part of our FREE RFP Letters Toolkit. You will find in it, amongst others, templates and samples of an RFP rejection letter.
Writing a Letter of Intent
It is highly recommended that you to read the suggestions below in order to properly and successfully write the letter of intent.
Use a formal letterhead and do not handwrite the RFP letter of intent.Use templates and samples provided in your FREE RFP Letters Toolkit to create your own letter of intent.
First, indicate your interest in the RFP you received, and acknowledge the deadline for the proposal you will submit.
Next, remind the RFP issuer that you are, at the same time, interested in being kept informed about any modification related to this project, i.e. the RFP document itself.
Finally, close the letter formally with "sincerely" or a similar polite expression. Sign your name and title. Be sure to provide correct, complete contact and reference information for future correspondence.
Do not forget to send the letter of intent via certified mail.
Since things sometimes get a little more complicated than usual, remember to consult a lawyer for further information before doing anything.

Speacial Thank For Link: http://www.rfp-templates.com/How-to-Write-a-Letter-of-Intent.html