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2025-07-29 Federal Market Insights Episode 17 — Session Overview

Resources

Federal Procurement Consolidation: OMB’s New Guidance for Greater Centralization, July 24, 2025

OMB Issues Additional Guidance on Consolidating Procurement Activities at GSA, July 24, 2025

WPI Podcast Episode 17 Summary 

Capability Statements for Federal Opportunities
Podcast Summary – completed using MS Copilot

Why This Matters Now
Capability Statements are increasingly emphasized in federal contracting. Buyers use them to assess vendor suitability, share information within their offices, and identify potential partners. A well-crafted Capability Statement should be one page—concise, impactful, and tailored.

Start With the Customer, Not the Company

  • Understand that federal agencies have diverse buying offices with unique needs.
  • Conduct market research to identify specific goals, pain points, and terminology.
  • Tailor each Capability Statement to the intended recipient—generic versions are less effective.
  • Clearly communicate how your company meets the buyer’s needs.

What to Include (and How to Make It Convincing)

  • Core Competencies: Use customer-specific language and focus on relevant skills.
  • Past Performance: Share award details such as agency name, contract ID, value, performance dates, and measurable outcomes.
  • Scope and Scale: Highlight team size, technologies used, project volume, or performance benchmarks met.
  • Contracting Vehicles: Include GSA Schedule awards or similar long-term vehicles like BPA or IDIQ.
  • Differentiators: Focus on elements that matter to the buyer—special methods, certifications, geographic reach, or security clearances.
  • Contact & Identifiers: List a single point of contact with direct info, along with identifiers like UEI, CAGE, and NAICS codes.

Design and Format Choices That Help You Win

  • Limit to one page—use headings and white space for clarity.
  • Avoid decorative images; only include visuals if they reinforce your message.
  • Write in plain, persuasive language—no filler or fluff.

Make It Stand Alone (The “Share Test”)

  • Ask: Can someone unfamiliar with your company understand and evaluate your Capability Statement on its own?
  • Consider how the document performs when shared internally—clarity and completeness are critical.

Distribution Basics

  • Upload your Capability Statement to SBA’s Small Business Search site for your company – https://search.certifications.sba.gov/
  • Maintain customized versions for different agencies or opportunities.
  • Update regularly to reflect new awards and capabilities.

Quick Checklist

  • ✓ One-page, customer-specific design
  • ✓ Clear alignment with buyer needs
  • ✓ Demonstrated scope and outcomes of past work
  • ✓ Contract vehicles and key identifiers included
  • ✓ Visuals only if they add value
  • ✓ Passes the share test
  • ✓ Uploaded to SBA’s Small Business Search – https://search.certifications.sba.gov/

Work with the Wisconsin Procurement Institute. Our services are available at no charge to Wisconsin businesses. We can assist with reviewing your Capabilities Statement, Market Research, and how to edit your SBA Small Business Search page and upload your Capabilities Statement. We can also assist with many other facets related to determining if the public sector is right for you and how to do business with the federal government.