Federal BD Checklist — 12 Steps to Win Government Contracts

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Preview: The 12-Step Federal BD Checklist

These are the steps that separate small businesses that win contracts consistently from those that chase opportunities reactively.

✅ Register on SAM.gov with all applicable NAICS codes and socioeconomic certifications
✅ Complete your Capability Statement (1-page, branded, updated annually)
✅ Build a past performance library with at least 3 relevant project summaries (PPQ format)
✅ Identify your top 5 target agencies and their forecasted opportunities
✅ Run a PWin assessment on every opportunity before investing proposal hours
✅ Research the incumbent contractor and price-to-win range using FPDS
✅ Develop at least 3 win themes tied to the agency's stated priorities
✅ Conduct a bid/no-bid meeting with documented go/no-go criteria
✅ Build a teaming strategy: identify prime/sub relationships you need to win
✅ Draft a color team review calendar: Pink, Red, Gold team dates set before RFP release
✅ Track all opportunities in a pipeline with stage, deadline, and PWin score
✅ Schedule a lessons-learned session within 30 days of every award decision

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