As a small business, you may have been coached to prepare a one- or two-page capability statement for your company. Your company representative presents this document to government acquisition personnel in an effort to raise awareness about your company's business data, core capabilities, and past performance. At a minimum, it typically includes:

• Location: geographical locations where your company operates including point-of-contact, physical address, telephone, office fax, and email address
  
• Relevant codes: DUNS, CAGE, NAICS, NIGP, etc.
  
• Web address for easy access to additional information
  
• Facilities, tools, or technologies: include your partners, enterprise architecture, computers, or any other technology that can be leveraged to support your customer
  
• Financial data and firm size including:
  Revenue over last three years
  Number of employees over three years

Following are some examples of a standard 2-page capability statement:

• VISTA Technology Services, Inc.

• Ford Management Services

• SWP Systems
  

If you don't have a capabilities statement or need to refresh your own, I highly recommend reviewing Gloria Larkin's Refreshing Your Capability Statement. 

I can help you create a capabilities statement. Feel free to give me a call at 281.865.8648.

Larry Newman PPF. APMP (Author)
Shipley Proposal Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Shipley-Proposal-Guide-4th-Ed/dp/0971424462
As of March 7, 2014, the Kindle Edition is $13.99.

Mark Amtower (Author)
Selling to the Government
http://www.amazon.com/Selling-Government-Compete-Worlds-Largest/dp/047088133X/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1394419757&sr=8-1

Bob Frey (Author)
Successful Proposal Strategies for Small Businesses: Using Knowledge Management to Win Government, Private-Sector, and International Contracts, Sixth Edition [Hardcover]
http://www.amazon.com/Successful-Proposal-Strategies-Small-Businesses/dp/1608074749/ref=tmm_hrd_title_popover?ie=UTF8&qid=1394417527&sr=1-1

Tom Sant (Author)
Persuasive Business Proposals
http://www.amazon.com/Persuasive-Business-Proposals-Customers-Contracts/dp/0814471536/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1394418219&sr=8-3

James Baker (Author)
How To Win Business From the Government: A Tactical Guide to Understanding the U.S. Federal Government Information Technology Marketplace [Kindle Edition]
http://www.amazon.com/How-Business-From-Government-Understanding-ebook/dp/B00884Q4HI/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

Jerry Evans (Author)
Marketing and Capturing Federal Contracts as a Small Business [Kindle Edition]
http://www.amazon.om/Marketing-Capturing-Federal-Contracts-Business-ebook/dp/B00G71H4R8

This memo builds on Office of Federal Procurement Policy's (OFPP) “Myth-Busting” memorandum issued on January 2, 2011 and describes steps taken to improve communications between Federal agencies and the vendor community.

These two myth-busting memos are essential reading for those in government contracting, especially if you are new to the federal business environment.

The purposes of this OMB memorandum are to:

1) Identify common misconceptions about vendor engagement that may be unnecessarily hindering agencies’ appropriate use of the existing flexibilities, and provide facts and strategies to help acquisition professionals benefit from industry’s knowledge and insight;

2) Direct agencies to remove unnecessary barriers to reasonable communication and develop vendor communications plans, consistent with existing law and regulation, that promote responsible and constructive exchanges; and

3) Outline steps for continued engagement with agencies and industry to increase awareness and education.

Judy Bradt has 20+ years of experience clients helping companies navigate the government contracting world. She's the author of an excellent book for small business owners: Government Contracts Made Easier.

Mark Amtower, author of the book, "Selling to the Government" shares the six myths business people should never fall for, when in comes to the federal government. Mr. Amtower has advised companies big and small on how to work best with the feds. Now he shares his secrets on Capital Insider.