Winning a federal contract requires more than a strong proposal—it demands coordinated, strategic action well before the RFP is released. That preparation is the responsibility of the capture team. Understanding capture team roles is essential for organizing the right people, responsibilities, and timelines to position your company effectively in the pre-solicitation phase.

From identifying key decision-makers to developing win strategies, each member of the capture team plays a critical part in shaping opportunity pursuit. Without clearly defined roles, important tasks can be overlooked, reducing win probability and increasing the risk of reactive bidding.

What Is a Capture Team?

A capture team is a group of professionals responsible for all pre-proposal activities related to a federal opportunity. This includes collecting intelligence, managing customer relationships, defining solution strategies, and preparing internal reviews.

Capture efforts typically begin once an opportunity has been qualified and continue through RFP release, at which point proposal development takes over. The clarity and coordination of capture team roles often determine whether a company is positioned to win—or simply submitting another bid.

Core Capture Team Roles and Responsibilities

While specific roles may vary by organization, most effective capture teams include these core positions:

1. Capture Manager

The Capture Manager is responsible for leading the pursuit effort from qualification through RFP release. Their duties include:

• Developing the overall capture strategy
• Coordinating internal resources and timelines
• Leading customer engagement plans
• Overseeing competitive analysis and teaming decisions
• Facilitating gate reviews and bid/no-bid recommendations

The Capture Manager ensures alignment between business development, technical teams, pricing, and leadership. This role is central to all capture team roles and requires strong leadership and communication skills.

2. Business Development Lead

Often involved earlier than the capture phase, the BD Lead helps identify and qualify opportunities before transition to capture. Responsibilities may include:

• Building relationships with agency decision-makers
• Attending industry days and relevant networking events
• Monitoring SAM.gov and procurement forecasts
• Supporting opportunity qualification and pipeline updates
• Providing historical or contextual insight on the agency

In many cases, the BD Lead works closely with the Capture Manager throughout the process to ensure continuity and insight.

3. Technical Lead or Solution Architect

This team member is responsible for developing the technical or programmatic solution being proposed. Key duties include:

• Understanding agency requirements and pain points
• Designing a feasible, cost-effective solution
• Providing inputs for win themes and discriminators
• Collaborating with proposal writers to align narrative content
• Supporting responses to RFIs or draft RFPs

The Technical Lead ensures that the solution reflects customer priorities and aligns with evaluation criteria, a critical contribution to effective capture team roles.

4. Proposal Manager (Pre-RFP Coordination)

While the Proposal Manager typically owns post-RFP submission activities, they often support capture by:

• Reviewing draft outlines and compliance matrices
• Setting document templates and content expectations
• Planning color team reviews and submission schedules
• Providing insight into past proposal challenges or successes

Integrating the Proposal Manager early ensures smoother handoff and avoids last-minute surprises.

5. Pricing Lead

The Pricing Lead provides guidance on cost strategies and pricing models to support competitive positioning. Responsibilities include:

• Developing preliminary pricing estimates or models
• Supporting price-to-win (PTW) analysis
• Reviewing cost realism and risk assumptions
• Collaborating with finance and compliance teams
• Contributing to cost volume planning, even before RFP release

Having pricing engaged early enhances accuracy and consistency across all capture team roles.

6. Contracts or Legal Advisor

Especially important for large or complex bids, this role helps ensure that teaming agreements, NDAs, and risk terms are compliant with federal requirements. Tasks may include:

• Reviewing RFP language for risk implications
• Supporting team negotiations and subcontract terms
• Advising on OCI (Organizational Conflict of Interest) issues
• Verifying flow-down clauses and contract terms

While not always active daily, this advisor supports strategic decisions that impact downstream performance.

Teaming Partner Involvement

If the opportunity involves teaming or subcontracting, representatives from partner organizations may also be engaged in:

• Joint solution development
• Past performance coordination
• Resume sharing and key personnel alignment
• Cost and workshare discussions
• Customer engagement (if permitted)

Establishing clear expectations with partners is key to integrating them effectively into capture team roles.

How to Structure and Coordinate the Capture Team

Successful capture efforts require not just the right people—but coordination, accountability, and communication. Best practices include:

• Kickoff Meetings – Establish goals, timelines, and responsibilities early
• Capture Plans – Document strategy, key dates, contacts, and intelligence
• Regular Standups or Reviews – Maintain momentum and flag risks
• Centralized Collaboration Tools – Ensure shared access to data and inputs
• Gate Reviews – Build formal checkpoints for decision-making

Well-managed capture team roles ensure that all contributors remain aligned and productive throughout the pursuit lifecycle.

Capture Team Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Even experienced capture teams face challenges, including:

• Role Confusion – Overlapping responsibilities or unclear ownership
• Siloed Information – Lack of communication between technical, pricing, and proposal teams
• Inadequate Customer Insight – Minimal engagement with agency stakeholders
• Late Resource Involvement – Critical roles engaged too close to the RFP release

Overcoming these challenges requires leadership discipline and a commitment to early, cross-functional collaboration.

Conclusion

Strong capture efforts lead to strong proposals. By understanding and defining capture team roles, federal contractors can create a structured, accountable, and collaborative pursuit environment. Each role plays a part in collecting intelligence, shaping the solution, and setting the stage for a compelling proposal.

To optimize your federal capture process and align the right people to the right pursuits, contact Hinz Consulting. For upcoming contract opportunities, visit SAM.gov.