The French business proposal: structure and key phrases

When you are bidding for work with a company or institution in Côte d'Ivoire (in West Africa, French-speaking, the world's largest cocoa producer), a well-structured proposal in French is often the main document that circulates internally and drives the decision. The people deciding may never meet you and will see only this document, so its format and wording stand in for your company's professionalism.

The standard structure

Section (French)	English	What goes in it
Page de titre	Title page	Title, recipient, author's name and title, company name, reference number, date and place
Sommaire de gestion	Executive summary	The key points, written for decision-makers
Table des matières	Table of contents	Include it if the document is long
Contexte et compréhension du besoin	Background and understanding of the need	Restate the client's situation and needs in your own words
Objectifs	Objectives	What this collaboration is meant to achieve
Solution proposée / Méthodologie	Proposed solution and approach	How you will do it, and in how many phases
Calendrier	Timeline	Timing and deliverables for each phase
Équipe et références	Team and track record	Who is responsible, past projects
Proposition financière	Financial proposal	Prices, payment terms, validity period
Annexes	Appendices	Company profile, certifications, technical specifications, etc.

The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) recommends that the title page of a report or service proposal (offre de service) include the title (with a subtitle if needed), the recipient, the author's name and title, the company or unit name, an appropriate reference number, and the date and place. As for the summary (sommaire), a management summary written for managers usually runs to no more than 400 words (mots) and presents the main content in the same order as the full document.

The pricing section: spell it out to avoid disputes

Taking French practice as an example, a quotation (devis) should state the services or products, prices and payment terms, and carry a validity period; if the client signs it within that period, the quotation has the force of a contract. The pricing section of your proposal should therefore at least make clear:

Whether prices include tax: hors taxes (HT) excluding tax, toutes taxes comprises (TTC) including all taxes
The currency and how amounts are written (French uses a comma as the decimal separator and a space as the thousands separator)
Payment terms: deposit percentage, payment deadline, payment method
How long the quotation is valid

Check the applicable tax rates and invoicing rules with Côte d'Ivoire's Direction générale des impôts (DGI) or a local accountant.

Key phrases, section by section

Opening - Suite à notre entretien du 12 novembre, nous avons le plaisir de vous soumettre notre proposition. (Further to our meeting of 12 November, we are pleased to submit our proposal.)

Understanding of the need - Vous souhaitez… (You wish to…) - Notre compréhension de vos besoins est la suivante : (Our understanding of your needs is as follows:)

Solution and timeline - Nous proposons une démarche en trois phases. (We propose a three-phase approach.) - La livraison est prévue pour le 15 janvier 2027. (Delivery is scheduled for 15 January 2027.)

Pricing - Les prix s'entendent hors taxes. (All prices are exclusive of tax.) - La présente offre est valable 30 jours à compter de sa date d'émission. (This offer is valid for 30 days from its date of issue.)

Closing - Nous restons à votre disposition pour tout complément d'information. (We remain at your disposal for any further information.) - Dans l'attente de votre retour, nous vous prions d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de nos salutations distinguées. (Looking forward to your reply, yours faithfully.)

The dates, number of phases and validity period in these examples are for illustration only; adjust them to your situation.

One line for Asian companies

A good French proposal first proves you have understood the client, then explains what you will do and what it will cost; a clear structure and explicit pricing win more trust than elaborate wording.

References: OQLF: Présentation et mise en page de la page de titre; OQLF: Présentation et mise en page du sommaire; Propulse by CA: Différence entre devis, facture et bon de commande