Last week I posted a blog about Capture Management of Government Contracting that was very popular with the readership. I received a number of requests for a checklist that can be used to support the process, so I’ve put one together for you below. The checklist is targeted to federal government contracting, but can be used for state and local procurements as well.
Keep in mind that any checklist becomes more useful as you gain better understanding of the opportunity, the competition, and the customer. Start early and go hard, because you can be sure that the competition is doing the same.
As always, you can contact me directly via email here.
As always, you can contact me directly via email here.
Checklist for Capture Planning
1. Ensure it meets the Vision of the company
2. Assign capture manager who likely has a significant role upon winning
3. Put a penetration plan together that includes:
a. Budget & contractual information
i. Restrictions, vehicles, past history, recompetes, schedule pricing and availability
b. Criteria for selection
i. Contractual, technical, past performance, quality, cost, familiarization, risk, value
c. Decision tree (with role and relevance assigned)
i. Influencers, users, support, decision makers, etc
ii. Measured in high, medium, low and linked to capture team
d. Company relevance regarding the criteria for selection
i. Past performance/case studies
e. Questions that must be answered that emphasize your strengths
i. Technical, relationships, partners, win themes
f. Questions that must be answered that neutralize your competition’s strengths
i. Same as above
g. Incumbents or strong players within the procuring organization
h. Tie ins to each of the people listed in the decision tree including gaps and possible gap fillers
i. Pipeline of opportunities likely to be linked to this particular project/program
j. Likely win theme possibilities based on the information above
k. (while tracking down this information, the Capture Manager should get a good idea who has the knowledge base to help with the capture and eventual proposal)
4. Request/Assign personnel to gather the information requested above
a. Business development
b. Marketing
c. Technical
d. Contracts/Security
e. Financial
f. Program support/Business support
g. Executive sponsors
h. Partner programs
i. Small business liaisons
j. Competition research analysts
k. Others as thoughts arise
5. Build capture plan
a. Utilizing information in an organized format begin to formulate the plan
i. Incorporate win theme
ii. Incorporate competitive positioning
iii. Incorporate technical and contractual alignment
iv. Incorporate partner/sub contractor strategy
v. Incorporate past performance/case study relevance
vi. Build question base for interrogatories that separate you from competition
vii. Begin technical competence documentation and review
viii. Build preliminary “compliance” matrix that would separate you from competition
6. Distribute capture plan for review similar to proposal
a. Look for technical gaps
b. Look for contractual gaps
c. Look for administrative/programmatic gaps
7. Meet with customer often to try to incorporate some of your “wording” from #5 above.
What you need to know to be effective in developing a winning capture strategy
Define the scope of work
Determine the locations of work
Influence the scope to your advantage and to the competition's disadvantage
Develop approaches to fulfilling the requirements
Scope staffing requirements
Identify any gaps between the scope and your own capabilities
Identify relevant project references
Identify relevant internal subject matter experts
Schedule
What is driving the customer's procurement schedule?
What are the milestones in the customer's procurement schedule?
When is the RFP release expected?
How much time will be allowed for preparing the proposal?
When would the customer like the project to start?
When would the customer like the project to be complete?
Will there be a phase-in/transition period?
Acquisition Strategy
What are the customer's acquisition strategy, contract vehicle, and/or approach?
What are the customer's procurement process/procedures?
Will there be any small business, local business, or other preferences?
Evaluation Criteria
Will the customer have written evaluation criteria?
If so, what are they?
If not, what are their unwritten criteria?
How is your company positioned against the evaluation criteria?
Can you influence the customer's evaluation criteria?
Do you understand what it will take to win?
Financial
What is the estimated value of the opportunity?
What is the customer's budget?
Is it funded/approved?
Can you influence the customer's budget for the opportunity?
Points of Contact
Can you draw the customer's organizational chart?
Do you understand the lines of authority and influence?
Who are the points of contact (POCs)?
Who should be contacted for which reason and by which person in your company?
Do you have a contact plan?
Competitive Intelligence
Can you identify all potential incumbents?
What other companies might be interested in bidding?
If you can't identify the potential competitors by name, have you identified them by profile (type, size, etc.)?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each one?
Competitive Advantage
What are your strengths and weaknesses compared to the competition?
What is your strategy for positioning against the competition?
Why will the customer select you instead of the competition?
What are your other win strategies?
Can you articulate what you offer the customer and why they should select you?
Teaming
Who could potentially fill any gaps in your ability to cover the scope of work?
What companies could potentially strengthen your bid or position?
Are there any companies that you would rather team with than compete against?
Identify reasons for and against teaming with other companies to pursue the opportunity.
Identify the requirements, process, and negotiation strategies for potential teaming partners.
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