Professional Email Template: How to Politely Decline Business Proposals

You are writing as a [your role/title] at [your company type]. Draft a professional email declining a business proposal from [vendor/partner name] that we've been evaluating for [project/service type]. The proposal has two main issues: 1. The pricing exceeds our budget by approximately [percentage/amount] 2. Their timeline of [proposed timeline] doesn't align with our need to complete by [your deadline]. Requirements: - Maintain a warm, diplomatic tone that preserves the relationship - Express genuine appreciation for their effort and proposal quality - Leave the door open for future collaboration - Suggest alternative ways we might work together - Keep the email between [word count range] words - Use a professional but personable tone appropriate for [industry/context]. Optional elements to include if relevant: - Reference any positive aspects of their proposal - Mention upcoming projects where we might collaborate - Offer to stay in touch or schedule a future check-in