Here at TargetGov we assist a lot of clients in crafting successful Capability Statements. The goal of these statements is to present a company’s capabilities to decision makers and prime contractors in clear and succinct language. Getting a foot in the door is incredibly valuable in a relationship-driven market and that is where Capability Statements come in.

So how do I go about creating a Capability Statement? There are a few key items to keep in mind as you go about designing and writing a Capability Statement. Firstly, it is crucial to keep in mind how busy the individuals who will be reading your Capability Statement are. They don’t have the time or the desire to read through a sixteen page brochure outlining everything from your company philosophy to the myriad of locations. For this reason, we at TargetGov recommend that you keep your Capability Statement to two pages maximum, and only if going on the second page means you’re providing compelling information.

Something else to keep in mind is the scope of work you’re detailing. Hopefully, you’ve already done your homework and have some idea of what the targeted agency or prime contractor is looking for in a company like yours. With this knowledge, you can tailor your Capability Statement specifically to their current needs. Going the extra mile by including specific details can mean the difference between having your Capability Statement read or ignored.

As you create the four basic sections of your Capability Statement (Core Competencies, Differentiators, Company Data, and Past Performance) it will behoove you to keep the Core Competencies in mind throughout the rest of the document. If you say “Building Chairs” is an aspect of your capabilities, discuss how you differentiate your chair-building techniques in Differentiators. Then, in Past Performance, talk about how many different chairs you’ve built and the success your chairs have helped create.

By creating your Capability Statement with these key elements in mind, you’ll increase your chances of using the statement in the way it was meant to be used. It will help open doors for your company and establish your abilities with provable metrics.

TargetGov assists clients with Capability Statements, please contact us or take a look at our Capability Statement Resources for more information.