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The #1 gap we see in calls

Your capability statement + website are why you're losing federal bids you should be winning.

Across hundreds of small-business federal calls, this is the #1 gap. The pricing is fine. The past performance is real. The set-asides check out. But the capability statement reads like a commercial brochure and the website looks like it was last updated in 2019. The contracting officer's 8-second skim test fails before they even read your bid.

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The 8-Second Skim Test

When a contracting officer opens your capability statement, they decide in 8 seconds whether to read further. Here's exactly what they're looking for, in order:

SECOND 1
NAICS codes
Do they match the solicitation? If no — bin.
SECOND 2
Set-aside certifications
8(a) / WOSB / HUBZone / SDVOSB present?
SECOND 3
Past performance bullets
Dollar amounts + agencies + outcomes — not 'various clients'.
SECOND 4
UEI / CAGE codes
Without these, you can't even be awarded.
SECOND 5
Core competencies as verbs
'We weld pipe' not 'experienced welding solutions provider'.
SECOND 6
Named POC + direct contact
First name. Direct phone. Not info@.

Capability Statement 10-Point Self-Audit

Pull yours up. Mark each row. Anything in the red column needs a rewrite before you bid again.

#
What good looks like
Common mistake
1
Logo + 2-line tagline at the top — 'We strip and seal flooring' (verb-first)
Big mission statement paragraph — 'Our team of experienced professionals strives to deliver...'
2
NAICS codes as bold chips (e.g. 561720 · 561210 · 238220)
NAICS buried in a paragraph or missing entirely
3
Set-aside certifications as visible badges (8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB)
Certifications buried in body text — or wrong/outdated
4
3-5 core competencies as verbs ('Demo, remove, dispose of asbestos tile')
Adjectives ('experienced flooring solutions provider')
5
3 past performance bullets with $ + agency + outcome ('$240K · Navy · 14K sq ft delivered 6 weeks ahead of schedule')
Past performance as 'various government and commercial clients'
6
UEI + CAGE code clearly listed at the bottom
UEI/CAGE missing — instant disqualifier for many COs
7
Point of contact: name, title, direct phone, work email
Generic info@ address with no name
8
Single page (2 max) — PDF format
5-page Word doc with stock photos
9
Filename: 'CompanyName_Capability_Statement_YYYY.pdf'
Filename: 'Final_FINAL_v3_use_this_one.pdf'
10
Updated within the last 6 months
Footer says 'last updated 2022'

Website 10-Point Self-Audit

Open your site in an incognito window on your phone. Each of these is what a contracting officer checks before shortlisting you.

#
What good looks like
Common mistake
1
HTTPS / valid SSL cert
HTTP-only or expired cert (CO browser shows warning)
2
Working contact page with named team + direct phone
Contact form only, no humans named
3
Visible NAICS codes + certifications on About or Services page
No mention of NAICS or set-asides anywhere on site
4
Past performance section with logos of agencies/clients served
Generic 'we serve various clients' with no proof
5
Capability statement downloadable as PDF on website
No capability statement on website at all
6
Privacy policy + terms (signals legitimate business)
No legal pages — looks like a single-day site
7
Mobile-responsive — CO checks on their phone first
Desktop-only layout, text tiny on mobile
8
Loading speed under 3 seconds (PageSpeed Insights green)
Loading speed over 6 seconds — CO bounces
9
Active blog or news — signals you're operating
Last update was 18 months ago — looks abandoned
10
Domain age > 1 year + matches your company name
Brand-new domain or mismatched name (smells like a front)

Three ways to fix this

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Capability statement template (Word + InDesign), past-performance bootstrap guide, SAM walkthrough, 90 days of NAICS-targeted opportunities. One-time. No subscription.

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Reply with your current capability statement PDF. I'll send back a 5-line teardown — what's working, what to cut, what to add. Free, 10 minutes.

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