Column: Now’s the time to hone your Capabilities Statement

by Tom Johnson, publisher, Set-Aside Alert

An essential tool in the small business federal contractor tool kit is the Capabilities Statement. Every federal small business specialist and contracting professional expects you to have one.

If you’ve prepared one already, this column will serve as a quick checklist to be sure you’re covered. If you have not prepared one, use these tips to get yours together.

Purpose

The purpose of the Capabilities Statement is to introduce your company to federal officials. It is meant to be short, sweet and to-the-point.

The Capabilities Statement is an introduction, not a flowery marketing piece. It is used at matchmaker events, “meet-and-greets,” trade shows, appointments with federal agency small business specialists, professional meetings and federal contracting officer meetings.

It is intended to quickly and consistently deliver the basic information about your company so that the recipient can determine whether you can meet their mission needs, and whether it would be worthwhile to continue a discussion with you.

Versions

You probably need two versions of the Capabilities Statement: a generic version and an editable, customizable version.

The generic version presents an overview of what you do, your certifications and your primary skills. It is OK for situations in which you are not sure in advance of the agency or the type of work and skill sets you want to showcase.

The editable version should be a template in which you can highlight specific past performance, special skills, applicable contract awards and agency references. Using the editable version you can quickly create a Capabilities Statement that highlights the work you did for agency ABC or the certifications and past performance in a specific industry NAICS code. Use the customized version whenever you know whom you will be meeting and the type of work you want to target with that person’s agency.

Format

Either version should consist of one page, with optional use of the back side of the sheet. On the front side, include all the basic information identified below. On the back side, you might highlight the items or brands in your line card, or the references from customers , both commercial and government, or several specific projects you have successfully completed. Keep in mind that some recipients will look only at the front side, so be sure to cover the checklist below.

The generic and the customizable versions should be available both in print and digitally. A government manager who sees your print Capabilities Statement frequently will ask you to send it by email. Your email should deliver the information in the body of the email, as well as via an attachment. This is because some government email systems don’t allow attachments or certain types of formats. The attachment can be a Microsoft Word document or a portable document file (.pdf). Avoid other formats as the recipient may not be able to open some file types. Word documents are best because it is easy for the government specialist to cut and paste information into their internal contact management systems.

Basic contents

Every capabilities statement should have the following information on the front side:

• Company Name, Street Address and Mailing Address;
• Phone (including extensions), fax, toll-free and email addresses;
• Company website URL;
• DUNS number, CAGE code and Tax ID number;
• Year the business started;
• Business size;
• Socioeconomic status (SDB, ED/WOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, VOSB);
• Primary and additional NAICS codes and Product/Service codes;
• Scope of geographic coverage;
• Contract vehicles (GSA Schedule, SEWP, etc.);
• Industry certifications (ISO, CMMI, trade licenses, professional);
• Several short paragraphs highlighting core competencies, experience and skills; and
• Short statements about your work for two to four of your key customers, including agency or company names.

A logo is nice but not necessary. Use of a little color or small graphic improves the appearance and attractiveness of the statement, but such touches should not detract from the basic message. Use at least 11-point type so that the information is easy to read.

Supplemental content

The back side of the Capabilities Statement is a blank palette. It’s optional but recommended. You can use it for listing the brands you represent, highlighting your many clients or providing an infographic.

This is a space where you can use color and graphics more liberally, but don’t use them just to take up space. It will be quickly obvious that you are throwing out fluff rather than showcasing your skills, capabilities and experience. The latter three items are what will convince the agency to learn more about who you are and what you can do.

Even though this is the back side, don’t neglect to display complete contact information for your company and its website. Your recipient may print out the statement to pass around the office, but what happens if page one gets separated from page two? You’ve lost the punch line. Make sure your contact information is on both sides.

Show us your stuff!

If you would like a review of your Capabilities Statement, please email to tjohnson@setasidealert.com. We will respond with comments.

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Column: Now’s the time to hone your Capabilities Statement

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