By the time a government RFP is final, many capture paths are already closed. The useful signal appears earlier in budget movement, sources-sought notices, draft requirements, industry days, recompete windows, incumbent performance, vehicle constraints, and customer personnel changes.
Signals worth watching
- Sources-sought, RFIs, draft RFPs, program briefings, industry days, and customer Q&A.
- Appropriations, reprogramming, continuing-resolution effects, spend plans, and unfunded priority lists.
- CPARS patterns, protest history, incumbent churn, personnel movement, and recompete timing.
- IDIQs, GWACs, BPAs, set-asides, NAICS fit, teaming routes, and vehicle-access constraints.
Operating workflow
- Resolve agency, program office, incumbent, vehicle path, budget posture, competitors, and customer timing.
- Score by capability fit, shaping window, vehicle access, likely margin, compliance posture, and no-bid rules.
- Route a capture brief to BD, capture, and proposal teams with next action and evidence source.
- Reconcile award notice, task order, or qualified advisory event to the first signal-led pursuit.
When the opportunity should route
The opportunity should route only when the signal is recent, the entity has been resolved, the economics clear the client's minimum threshold, and there is a named person or team ready to act. Otherwise it remains monitored rather than creating noise in the CRM.
Vertical playbook
Open the government and defense playbook