A successful government proposal starts long before the RFP is released. The foundation is laid during the capture phase—a time for gathering intelligence, engaging stakeholders, shaping the opportunity, and preparing a strategy to win. At the heart of this phase is the capture plan. But a plan is only effective if it’s reviewed critically and updated regularly. That’s where a capture plan review becomes essential.
Conducting a structured review of your capture plan helps ensure your strategy is aligned with opportunity requirements, realistic in execution, and fully supported by internal resources.
What Is a Capture Plan Review?
A capture plan review is a formal assessment of the strategy, actions, and assumptions documented in your capture plan. It allows your team to validate whether the pursuit is progressing as intended, identify gaps in planning or execution, and realign resources as needed.
Unlike informal check-ins or updates, a true capture plan review involves cross-functional input, documented findings, and follow-up action items. It helps confirm that your team is on track and that your probability of win (Pwin) is increasing as the opportunity develops.
Why Capture Plan Reviews Matter
Many capture efforts lose momentum or go off-course without anyone realizing until it’s too late. A timely review allows you to catch issues early and make informed adjustments. Key benefits include:
Confirming that intelligence is current and relevant
Ensuring alignment between capture, proposal, and pricing strategies
Reevaluating win themes and discriminators
Tracking customer engagement and feedback
Verifying that all compliance requirements are anticipated and planned for
Ultimately, a capture plan review ensures your pursuit remains intentional, focused, and competitive.
When to Conduct a Capture Plan Review
Timing matters. A good rule of thumb is to schedule at least one formal review between opportunity qualification and RFP release. Depending on the opportunity size and complexity, additional reviews may be held at key milestones, such as:
After initial customer engagement
Before color team reviews or proposal kickoff
Following significant competitor activity
After updates to the acquisition timeline
Each capture plan review should serve as a decision point: continue pursuing, adjust the strategy, or disengage if the opportunity no longer aligns with your goals.
Who Should Participate
A strong review includes stakeholders from across your business development and proposal teams. Typical participants include:
Capture Manager – Presents the current plan and leads discussion
Business Development Lead – Shares background on opportunity identification and agency insights
Proposal Manager – Provides input on proposal readiness and resource planning
Pricing Lead – Evaluates cost strategy alignment with scope and competitive environment
Technical SMEs – Validate solution strategy and feasibility
Leadership – Confirms organizational support and alignment with growth goals
This collaborative review structure ensures multiple perspectives are brought into the evaluation process.
Key Components to Evaluate
A thorough capture plan review should assess the plan across several core areas:
Opportunity Fit
Is this opportunity aligned with core capabilities, past performance, and strategic goals?
Customer Understanding
Have key decision-makers been identified and engaged? Do we understand the agency’s mission drivers?
Competitive Analysis
Is our view of the competition current? Do we know their strengths, weaknesses, and likely pricing?
Win Strategy and Themes
Are our win themes clearly defined, validated by customer feedback, and differentiated from competitors?
Solution Development
Is the technical and management approach feasible, compliant, and cost-effective?
Teaming and Partnerships
Are teaming partners identified, qualified, and committed? Are their roles clearly defined?
Compliance Planning
Have all anticipated requirements (e.g., cyber, small business, pricing) been addressed in the plan?
Each of these areas helps determine whether the pursuit remains on track or needs adjustment.
Tools to Support the Review
Use standardized templates or checklists to support consistent, efficient reviews. Common tools include:
Capture Plan Template – Ensures all key information is captured and easy to evaluate
Review Scorecard – Rates components like customer knowledge, solution readiness, and Pwin
Action Item Tracker – Logs updates, assignments, and deadlines after the review
Pipeline Management Software – Platforms that support documentation and workflow tracking
These tools help enforce structure and follow-up in every capture plan review.
Red Flags to Watch For
During the review, pay attention to common signs of misalignment or underdevelopment:
Limited or outdated customer engagement
No clear technical or management approach
Overreliance on uncommitted teammates
Undefined pricing or delivery strategy
Mismatch between capture and proposal planning
Lack of leadership support or resource allocation
These issues may require immediate attention—or, in some cases, reconsidering the pursuit altogether.
Linking Reviews to Continuous Improvement
Beyond strengthening individual pursuits, conducting regular capture plan reviews supports broader process improvement. They help your team:
Identify patterns in lost or withdrawn pursuits
Refine opportunity qualification criteria
Improve team coordination and handoffs
Document lessons learned for future captures
Over time, these reviews contribute to a more disciplined, effective capture function.
Conclusion
A well-executed capture plan is a blueprint for proposal success—but it’s not static. Through structured, timely capture plan reviews, contractors can refine their strategies, allocate resources more effectively, and increase their win probability. Whether you’re pursuing a new opportunity or recompeting for an existing contract, a critical review of your capture plan ensures you’re pursuing the right work, the right way.
For guidance on building and evaluating your capture plans, contact Hinz Consulting. To stay current on federal opportunities worth capturing, visit SAM.gov.
