Codes, numbers and registration
What is a capability statement?
A capability statement is a one-page summary of what your firm does, what it has done, and how it is classified and certified, written for a contracting officer doing market research rather than for a commercial customer.
Also written as: capability statement meaning, government capability statement, one pager.
It is not a brochure and not a proposal. The reader is a contracting or small-business specialist deciding whether a requirement can be set aside and which firms to name in the market research file, and they are reading dozens of these. What they need is: your NAICS codes, your UEI and CAGE, your certifications, a short list of differentiators stated concretely, past performance with agency names and contract values, and a named person with a phone number.
There is no FAR requirement to have one, which is exactly why it works — it is the artefact that makes you findable at the moment before a solicitation exists, which is the moment the set-aside decision is made.
Tailoring beats volume. A capability statement that leads with the NAICS code and the agency you are targeting reads as relevant; a generic one reads as a mailing.
What this means when you bid
Attach it to every sources-sought response and every email to a small-business specialist. It is the cheapest business development in federal contracting.
Where this definition comes from
Federal contracting is one of the few fields where the authoritative answer is free, public and one click away. These are the sources this page is built from — go and read them.
- FAR 10.001→
Market research policy.
- SAM.gov→
The official federal registration and solicitation system. Free.
This page explains a term in plain English and cites the authority it comes from. It is not legal advice, and the regulation governs where this page and the regulation differ.
Free tools for government contractors
Knowing the term is one thing. These free tools do something with a capability statement. No login, no credit card.
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Capability statement— common questions
- What is a capability statement?
- A capability statement is a one-page summary of what your firm does, what it has done, and how it is classified and certified, written for a contracting officer doing market research rather than for a commercial customer.
- Why does a capability statement matter when you are bidding?
- Attach it to every sources-sought response and every email to a small-business specialist. It is the cheapest business development in federal contracting.
Related terms
- RFI — Request for Information
- Rule of two
- Past performance
- SAM.gov registration