In this case study, Proposal Manager Jessica Mansilla shares how her team uses VisibleThread to reduce compliance risk, shorten editing cycles, and empower subject matter experts to write with clarity.
Download the full story and see how clarity became a competitive edge for Big Bear.ai.
Meet Jessica: A Communicator Bridging Tech and Compliance
Jessica Mansilla, Proposal Manager at Big Bear.ai, brings more than a decade of experience in business development, technical writing, and federal contracting. Jessica has developed a unique ability to translate highly technical information into clear, compelling, and compliant proposal content.
She began her career as an English professor and instructor, which laid the foundation for her exceptional writing and communication skills. These talents now serve her well as she leads the charge at Big Bear to bring clarity to complex data analytics solutions through government proposals.
The Challenge: Turning Technical Expertise into Clear, Compliant Proposals
At Big Bear, a leading government contractor supporting the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC), the stakes are high. Their work in AI-driven data analytics must be translated into concise, compliant, and compelling proposal documents – often under immense pressure.
For Jessica, a proposal expert at Big Bear, the challenge wasn’t the lack of intelligence – quite the opposite.
“There are so many people here who are incredibly smart. My job is to take that brilliance, ask the right questions, and turn it into something readable and persuasive.”
She’s tasked with bridging the gap between deep technical knowledge and the meticulous standards of federal proposals.
“Compliance requires digging into all the fine print—those small details that can have big consequences.”
The complexity of requirements, combined with multiple contributors, meant inefficiencies were inevitable.
The Solution: Bringing Consistency and Clarity with VisibleThread
To streamline their workflow, Big Bear turned to VisibleThread—RFP Software designed to shorten review time, reduce compliance risk, and improve document quality.
Using VisibleThread, Jessica’s team can:
- Score documents for readability and compliance using objective metrics.
- Catch long, complex sentences that slow down evaluators.
- Give SMEs guardrails to write more effectively without hand-holding.
- Redline and flag key requirements to ensure compliance and sharpen the proposal’s competitive edge.
Writing is a very self-conscious thing, VisibleThread gives us clarity. It makes my job easier and our proposals stronger.
The Impact: Better Proposals, Faster Turnarounds
Since adopting VisibleThread, Big Bear has:
- Improved win readiness by reducing compliance issues in final draft.
- Shortened editing cycles by automating readability and clarity checks.
- Empowered non-writers to create more proposal-ready content.
- Built a culture of clarity across technical and business teams.
It’s not just about fixing writing - it’s about elevating how we present our expertise. VisibleThread makes that possible.
Why It Matters
In high-stakes environments like defense and intelligence, your proposal is only as strong as your ability to communicate clearly. Big Bear’s use of VisibleThread is a perfect example of how clarity isn’t just a writing skill – it’s a competitive advantage.
