Inspiration:
I was unemployed for months and submitted job applications to various companies, yet I was rejected from all of them. However, I needed to find my footing; I couldn't just sit and fold my arms, I had bills to pay and mouths to feed. So, A friend of mine suggested I start bidding for government contracts. At the time, I didn't know much about government contracts, so I did my research and learned I had to write proposals and email the contracting officer. I locked in and drafted my 1st contract proposal for a software engineering contract with the DOD. However, I didn't win the contract. My friend suggested that I write more proposals for different contracts to stand a chance. However, this process was tedious, so I came up with Contract-ME.
What it does:
Contract-Me was the solution to my problem; Instead of manually writing different proposals for different contracts I am bidding for, and manually sending an email to each contracting officer. Contract-Me helps me write the proposal in a Word document and sends the email specifically for that contract to the contracting officer, along with the submission of the proposal, all with a click of a button. This way, I can send out 100+ proposals in less than 30 secs because I only have to click the button and the AI does the rest of the job.
How we built it:
I built contract-Me using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. I use Google Gemini as the AI that drafts the proposal. Furthermore, I had to go to the contracting platforms like sam.gov and get the API that broadcasts the contracts and details.
Challenges we ran into:
The challenges were a lack of resources and funding. The AI platform that I use was not funded adequately, so I tend to run out of credits when I send proposals.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
I am so proud of the fact that I got a lot of responses from these contracting officers. They had no Idea that it was an AI; they thought it was written by a human because the AI got into specific details about the contract.
What we learned:
I learnt that there's always something for me to do, and all it takes is perspective to see what needs to be done. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise when I didn't have a job, because this project is an opportunity in its own way.
What's next for Contract-Me:
With proper funding, I can leverage this tool and make it available to the public. I will also allocate funds for the AI, given that it is an essential part of the work.
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