Department: Proposals

Location: In office, Madison Heights, MI 
Duration: Summer Internship (8–12 weeks) 
Reports To: Proposal and Capture Manager 

​

About this Role 

Mettle Ops is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Proposals Intern to support key initiatives that inform and strengthen our competitive positioning, and proposal readiness within the government contracting market. 

This internship offers hands-on exposure to federal procurement, competitive analysis, proposal development, and government focused messaging an excellent opportunity for students interested in communications, business, public policy, marketing, or acquisition fields. 

​

The intern will participate and lead elements of meaningful projects with direct impact on our business development and proposal operations. 

​

Select summer projects could include: 

​

Competitive Landscape & Market Research 

• Research peer companies and industry competitors. 

• Analyze strengths, differentiators, and service positioning. 

• Compile findings into a competitive benchmarking report with actionable recommendations. 

Federal Acquisition & Opportunity Research 

• Investigate which agencies purchase our types of services using tools such as 
  USASpending.gov, FPDS, agency forecasts, and SAM.gov. 

• Summarize relevant opportunities, trends, and procurement patterns. 

• Deliver a digestible “How Government Buys What We Sell” briefing deck. 

Proposal Process Support  

• Shadow elements of the proposal process (RFQ/RFP review, team meetings, communications, content collection, editing). 

• Identify opportunities for workflow improvements. 

• Update the current SOP documenting best practices and templates. 

Past Performance Summaries & Case Studies 

• Interview project managers and technical leads. 

• Convert project details into concise, compelling past performance single page case studies. 

• Update past case studies with current information and project data. 

• Ensure consistency in layout, messaging, and formatting. 

What You’ll Learn 

• How government DoD agencies source and select contractors 

• Federal procurement terminology and processes (RFI, SSN, RFP, evaluation criteria, etc.) 

• Market positioning and messaging in a regulated environment 

• Best practices for capability statements and past performance narratives 

• Basics of proposal management and understanding of BD pipeline development 

• Professional communication, interviewing, and technical writing 

• Competitive analysis, research, and marketing strategy 

 

Qualifications 

​

Required: 

• Undergraduate student (or recent graduate) in Communications, Business, Public Administration, English, or technical Manufacturing or Engineering related fields of study 

• Strong writing and analytical skills 

• Ability to synthesize information into clear, concise summaries 

• Attention to detail and the ability to prioritize effectively in a fastpaced environment. 

• Interest in government contracting, proposals, or public-sector markets 

Preferred but not required: 

• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite  

• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) 

• Prior exposure to research projects or competitive analysis 

• Curiosity and willingness to learn federal procurement concepts 

 

What We Offer 

• Hands-on mentorship from business development and proposal professionals 

• Real-world experience contributing to business development efforts 

• Opportunities to participate in meetings, reviews, and cross-team collaborations 

• A supportive learning environment designed for growth 

• Active Young Professionals Group 

 

How to Apply 

​

Please submit: 

• Résumé 

• Short cover letter explaining interest in the role 

• Portfolio samples/links if available