Your capability statement should have five main sections, though we add a sixth bonus section. Each section should be labelled exactly as they are here, and each should be confined to its own box so that the section are visibly separated. The main sections are:
Let’s review what each of these sections means and what they should contain. The details of what we’ll put into these sections will be discussed further in the writing and copy section.
The past performances section highlights specific projects you have completed that related to the government contract you are currently bidding on. Remember, the bid process is highly competitive and government projects have unique and cumbersome reporting requirements. If you can show you have successfully completed government projects, and done the type of work they are seeking, then you will be a major contender.
Past performances should be tailored to the project as well. For example, if the contract is seeking lawn services, you would include lawn contracts you have successfully completed, but not hauling, landscaping, or other services you may provide.
This is a clear statement about how you are different from your competition. Remember, with few exceptions all government contracts are a competition. You need a concise value statement that shows how you bring unique value to the project. The best way is to identify the agency’s pain point. What is it they are trying to solve, and what about your company helps them solve that particular problem?
Differentiators must follow three rules:
Do you use a unique technology? Is your team specially trained or certified in a specific field that will help your client? Do you bill differently (like value billing, or flat fees vs. hourly)? Find out what makes you special, and make yourself special to the government agency.
Open the company statement with a sentence or two that describes your mission and service. Then include basic information that describes you as a business, such as number of employees, geographic area, size of your firm, or whatever distinguishes you. Include the year your company was founded as this shows you meet the two-year requirement for being in business. You’ll also need all of your certifications, codes (DUNS, NAICS, etc), and any small or disadvantaged business classifications you carry.
At a minimum, your contact information must include the following:
Your capability statement simply does not have enough space to truly describe all the great things your company does and provides. How can you ensure that the agency officers continue to learn more about you beyond the bid packet you have provided?
The best way is through a call to action. A call to action is a demand within your capability statement that they take a proactive step to learn something more. Typically, it would be to lead them to your website. But a website address is not enough. An effective call to action captures their eye within the document, and urges them to take a next step.
The best use of a call to action is as part of a sales funnel (learn more about sales funnels). Our favorite call to action is to offer them a free guide related to your business. When they go to your website for their free guide, they give their email and enter into your sales and marketing funnel.