What is capture planning

Getting your BD team to pull their weight in the proposal process is key to allowing you to write more proposals better and faster. Insist on a capture plan. Don't take no for an answer. Create Account Login In other words, a major portion of the proposal content is basically already written before the proposal team even sits down in front of a keyboard.

A Capture plan is a plan to win. What does it mean for capture, proposal and task order management? Naturally, not every RFP requires an in-depth, long-term strategy. For the highest possible return on investment, capture planning should be used primarily in pursuit of high-value, complex opportunities.

Accordingly, the practice is common for organizations seeking to win government business. You may also consider creating an abbreviated capture management process. After all, even routine RFPs can yield big results. The shorter process can likewise help solidify your position without a substantial time investment.

A capture manager is the person responsible for the research, analysis and strategy that create the capture plan. In a large business, the capture manager may be a dedicated role within the proposal team. Consequently, they work closely with several teams. In most cases, they bridge the gap between business development and proposal creation. However, in small- and medium-sized businesses, the proposal manager, sales manager or business development lead may act as the capture manager.

Also, many proposal development consultants offer support in this area. For example, they may help you build a specific capture plan, or they may help create or optimize your capture management process. However, they are still involved in the process as they transition the opportunity to the proposal team. Consequently, they work closely with the proposal coordinator and subject matter experts as needed.

Add up these costs to find out how much your business spends on the average RFP response. Every RFP comes with risks—ones associated with responding to the proposal and ones associated with winning the business.

Every opportunity and risk factor should be weighted according to your business priorities. Assign a numeric value to each based on importance, and place them on an X-Y axis. Focusing on the bids with the highest chances of winning will be a better return-on-investment for your company. Kathryn Bennett.

Elements of a good capture plan include: A thorough opportunity assessment Competitive analysis Team bandwidth analysis Your likelihood of success vs. How would that benefit your entire organization? Sync Public Budget Cycles to RFP Opportunities Budgeting phases present new business opportunities—and if you work in the public sector, government transparency may afford you some knowledge about when those budget cycles happen.

Use Contract Renewals as Opportunities to Act Now Contract renewals also present huge opportunities to displace an incumbent with a better proposal. Use Competitor Intelligence to Refine Bid Pricing Knowing your competitor is critical to positioning answers in your bid. Heath Sanders, CEO.