Write a decision the next reviewer can use
Use this short decision record after reviewing the evidence. Leave unresolved questions visible in the working record and assign someone to resolve each one; do not convert uncertainty into a made-up probability of winning.
- Decision: pursue, pause pending evidence, or decline.
- Reason: the requirement, source reference, and evidence supporting the decision.
- Open item: the missing fact, responsible owner, and review date.
- Next action: a customer question, partner confirmation, or response-review task.
Read the full solicitation and amendments
Collect the instructions, statement of work, evaluation criteria, pricing schedule, attachments, amendments, and official question-and-answer notices. Assign one person to track updates and submission deadlines. A summary page can help identify a lead, but it should not become the compliance reference.
Start a table with the requirement, source section, responsible person, evidence, and unresolved question. Distinguish mandatory requirements from scored preferences. If the team cannot satisfy a mandatory condition, resolve it through the permitted process before committing to a response.
Confirm who will contract and deliver
The SBA distinguishes prime contractors, which contract directly with the government and manage performance, from subcontractors, which work for another contractor. That distinction changes the buyer relationship and the responsibilities your team must be ready to accept. [1]
Record the proposed contracting entity, any partners, each party’s role, and the evidence supporting eligibility. Do not treat another company’s registration, contract, or certification as your own. Where teaming is needed, confirm responsibilities before relying on a partner in the proposal.
Use evidence to assess the opportunity
This is a working decision table, not a probability-of-win formula. Fill it with facts and open questions rather than optimistic scores.
| Decision | Evidence to gather |
|---|---|
| Can we qualify? | Mandatory credentials, registrations, required experience, and submission conditions |
| Can we deliver? | Staff availability, supplier commitments, schedule, support, and dependencies |
| Can we prove fit? | Relevant work, demonstrations, references permitted for use, and technical response |
| Can we price responsibly? | Documented assumptions, supplier pricing, recurring costs, and delivery risks |
| Is the response worth the effort? | Proposal workload, deadlines, competing opportunities, and capacity |
Match the search to the market
Federal, state, local, and education markets are not one buying process. For federal work, the SBA identifies SAM.gov as an opportunity source and discusses prime and subcontracting paths. [1] In PA, NY, NJ, and DE, build a watchlist around the actual agencies, municipalities, schools, authorities, and partners you can serve.
Track the buyer, mission, location, expected timing, relevant contract, and next useful action. A statewide portal may be one source; the issuing organization’s current notice and amendments remain necessary. Avoid assuming that registration in one system covers every buyer in a state.
Record a decision and a review trigger
Choose pursue, pause pending evidence, or decline. Give unresolved items an owner and a date. A pause should say what fact would change the decision, such as a supplier commitment or clarification of a mandatory requirement.
For a pursuit, turn the review into a proposal schedule and a list of themes supported by evidence. For a decline, retain the reason so the team can improve its next search. Government sales consulting can help organize this work; award decisions remain with the buyer.
Sources & further reading
Published by Chris Wright Enterprises, LLC. Chris is Director of Sales at Superior Access Solutions, which provides the technology products and services discussed on this site. See the partner disclosure. Confirm current requirements with the responsible agency, provider, or adviser before acting.
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