In federal contracting, recompetes are a constant. Contracts typically run for three to five years, and then the work is put back out for bid—whether you’re the incumbent or a challenger. But too often, contractors treat recompetes as routine. That’s a mistake. Winning a recompete requires deliberate, strategic planning, whether you’re defending your current position or trying to unseat an incumbent.

In this blog, we’ll break down effective recompete capture strategies, the common pitfalls to avoid, and how to position your company to win—even when the competition is fierce.

For active recompete and forecasted opportunities, visit SAM.gov.

1. What Is a Recompete in Government Contracting?

A recompete occurs when a federal agency must re-solicit a contract after its original period of performance ends. It could involve:

• The same scope and deliverables
• Slightly modified requirements
• A full overhaul of objectives and technologies

Recompetes often involve existing vendors defending their work and new entrants trying to win the contract away.

Because the agency has experience with the incumbent, recompetes tend to involve high stakes, heightened scrutiny, and a deeper understanding of what success looks like.

2. Why Recompetes Require a Different Strategy

Recompetes are fundamentally different from new contract bids. They require:

• A deep understanding of past performance—what worked, what didn’t
• Competitive insights into the incumbent’s (or your own) weaknesses
• Pre-positioning with stakeholders who already have experience on the project
• Shaping strategies for subtle but important changes in scope, funding, or technology

You’re not just selling a capability—you’re often defending or proposing an evolution of work that’s already known to the customer.

3. Recompete Strategy for Incumbents

If you’re the incumbent, your goal is to retain the contract. That may sound easier, but it requires strategic effort.

a. Conduct an Honest Performance Review

• How satisfied is the customer?
• Have there been performance issues or contract modifications?
• What feedback came through CPARS or informal debriefs?
• What would competitors point out as vulnerabilities?

Use these insights to proactively address weaknesses in your proposal narrative.

b. Reinforce Institutional Knowledge

Highlight:

• Lessons learned over the current contract
• Process improvements you’ve made
• Deep understanding of customer needs, constraints, and mission objectives
• Continuity in staffing, tools, and delivery

But avoid complacency—don’t assume experience equals preference.

c. Bring Innovation to the Table

Agencies expect improvement, not a repeat.

• Show how you will evolve your solution in response to new tech, policy, or mission priorities
• Propose cost savings, process automation, or stronger performance metrics
• Use real data from your contract to back up proposed enhancements

d. Lock in Past Performance Value

Use your current contract as a past performance reference and demonstrate how it positions you uniquely to continue delivering success.

4. Recompete Strategy for Challengers

If you’re trying to displace an incumbent, you need to show that change is worth the risk.

a. Research the Incumbent’s Record

Use:

• CPARS
• FOIA requests
• Publicly available contract mods
• Stakeholder discussions

Your goal is to identify pain points, weaknesses, or outdated approaches you can exploit.

b. Offer a Smarter, Cleaner Transition

Many agencies fear disruption. Show:

• A detailed, low-risk transition plan
• Staff retention or onboarding processes
• Fast system migration and training plans
• Minimal impact on performance

c. Innovate and Differentiate

You must bring something new. Show:

• Modern tools, automation, or cost-efficiencies
• Superior staffing or leadership
• Clear risk mitigation tactics
• Better value and customer alignment

Use the best value tradeoff criteria to your advantage by presenting a compelling technical alternative.

5. Universal Recompete Capture Tactics (Incumbent or Challenger)

a. Start Early

Recompetes begin 12–18 months before an RFP. Early shaping is critical.

• Meet with program managers
• Attend industry days
• Engage through RFIs or Sources Sought
• Position your brand with targeted content or briefings

b. Track Shifts in Scope

Look for:

• New technology mandates
• Contract ceiling increases
• Changed KPIs or service level agreements
• Updated security or compliance requirements

Tailor your solution to these evolving priorities.

c. Refine Your Teaming Strategy

• Sub in specialized partners to fill capability gaps
• Consider replacing or strengthening key personnel
• Align your team to the new direction of the contract

Whether defending or challenging, the right partners improve credibility and performance.

d. Build a Recompete-Specific Win Strategy

Identify:

• Discriminators based on real performance
• Value-adds unique to your approach
• Customer hot buttons from past cycles
• How you will exceed—not just meet—the PWS requirements

6. Common Recompete Capture Mistakes

a. Assuming the Incumbent Will Win

Even strong incumbents lose recompetes.
Fix: Position your team early with a compelling value proposition.

b. Taking Incumbency for Granted

Customer satisfaction is not loyalty.
Fix: Treat the recompete like a new opportunity with high stakes.

c. Ignoring the Transition Narrative

Agencies want to know exactly how the work will be handed off or improved.
Fix: Include a clear, low-risk transition plan.

d. Overlooking the Evaluation Criteria

Even familiar work can be lost if your proposal doesn’t match scoring priorities.
Fix: Align tightly to the RFP’s instructions and evaluation factors.

7. Conclusion

Whether you’re the incumbent defending your ground or the challenger looking to take the lead, recompete capture strategies are a vital part of long-term federal business development. The key is to start early, know your positioning, and tailor your solution to both the customer’s evolving needs and the competitive landscape.

Want to strengthen your recompete capture strategy or evaluate your position ahead of a recompete RFP? Hinz Consulting helps government contractors assess risk, build capture plans, and craft proposals that win—again and again.