Pre-Proposal Checklist for Government Contracts
The difference between winning and losing a government contract often comes down to preparation. This 30-item checklist covers everything you need to do before, during, and after writing your proposal.
Organized into four phases: bid/no-bid analysis, proposal planning, technical volume preparation, and cost volume development.
Before You Bid
Critical go/no-go decisions before investing time and resources in a proposal.
Read the entire solicitation
Read every section of the RFP, including all attachments, amendments, and referenced documents. Do not skim. Many evaluation criteria and requirements are buried in attachments or referenced FAR clauses.
Verify NAICS code eligibility
Confirm your company is registered under the solicitation's NAICS code in SAM.gov and that you meet the corresponding SBA size standard. If the NAICS code does not match your primary registration, verify you can self-certify under it.
Check set-aside requirements
Determine if the solicitation is set aside for a specific small business category (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, etc.). If it is a set-aside, confirm your certifications are current and active in SAM.gov.
Verify past performance requirements
Review the past performance evaluation criteria. Determine if you have relevant contracts of similar size, scope, and complexity. Identify references who can speak to your performance. If you lack direct experience, consider teaming arrangements.
Assess security clearance needs
Check if the contract requires facility clearances (FCL) or personnel clearances. If clearances are required and you do not have them, determine if you can obtain them in time or if a cleared subcontractor can fill the gap.
Check bonding requirements
For construction and some service contracts, verify bid bond, performance bond, and payment bond requirements. Contact your surety company early to confirm bonding capacity. Bond requirements can be deal-breakers for small businesses.
Verify SAM.gov registration is active
Confirm your SAM.gov registration is current and not expired. Check that your entity information, NAICS codes, and representations and certifications are up to date. An expired registration means you cannot receive an award.
Make the bid/no-bid decision
Evaluate the opportunity against your win probability: Do you have the right experience? Is the incumbent beatable? Can you price competitively? Do you have the staff? Is the contract worth the proposal investment? Document your decision rationale.
Proposal Planning
Organizing your team and timeline before writing begins.
Build a compliance matrix
Create a matrix that maps every solicitation requirement (Section C, Section L, Section M, and any referenced standards) to your proposal response. Every "shall," "must," and "will" in the PWS/SOW needs a corresponding response in your proposal.
Identify key personnel
Determine which positions the solicitation designates as key personnel. Confirm those individuals are available, willing, and meet all qualification requirements (education, years of experience, certifications). Get their resumes updated and commitments in writing.
Confirm teaming arrangements
If you are using subcontractors or teaming partners, execute teaming agreements or letters of intent. Clarify work share, pricing, and roles. Ensure your team's combined capabilities cover all requirements. Verify small business size calculations if applicable.
Plan any required site visits
Check if the solicitation includes a site visit or pre-proposal conference. Register early as attendance may be mandatory or limited. Prepare questions in advance and send personnel who will work on the proposal.
Prepare questions for the Contracting Officer
Draft questions about ambiguous requirements, conflicting instructions, or missing information. Submit them before the questions deadline. Good questions demonstrate engagement and can clarify requirements that affect your approach and pricing.
Establish a writing schedule
Work backward from the submission deadline. Build in time for writing, internal reviews (Pink Team, Red Team), revisions, production, and submission. Plan for at least two full review cycles before the final version.
Assign section authors
Assign specific proposal sections to authors with relevant subject matter expertise. Give each author the compliance matrix items for their sections, page limits, and formatting requirements. Set internal deadlines for first drafts.
Technical Volume
Ensuring your technical approach is compliant, compelling, and complete.
Address every requirement in the PWS/SOW
Cross-reference your compliance matrix to ensure every requirement has a corresponding response. Use the government's language and terminology. Mirror the solicitation's structure where possible so evaluators can easily find your responses.
Use the government's language and terminology
Reflect the solicitation's exact terminology in your proposal. If the SOW says "deliverables," do not call them "work products." Using the government's language makes it easier for evaluators to match your responses to requirements.
Include a management approach
Describe how you will manage the contract: communication plans, status reporting, risk management, quality control processes, and escalation procedures. Show the government you have a systematic approach to contract execution.
Document key personnel qualifications
For each key personnel position, provide detailed resumes that directly address the qualification requirements in the solicitation. Highlight relevant experience, education, and certifications. Include a narrative explaining why each person is the right fit.
Describe your quality assurance approach
Outline your quality control and quality assurance processes. Describe how you will measure performance against contract requirements, handle deficiencies, and ensure continuous improvement. Reference any relevant quality certifications (ISO, CMMI, etc.).
Outline your transition plan
Describe how you will ramp up from contract award to full performance. Include timelines for hiring, training, obtaining clearances, setting up systems, and knowledge transfer from the incumbent (if applicable). A credible transition plan reduces risk for the government.
Include an organizational chart
Provide a clear org chart showing reporting relationships, key personnel, and how your team is structured. Include subcontractor relationships if applicable. The org chart should align with the management approach described in your narrative.
Address all evaluation criteria
Review Section M (Evaluation Criteria) and ensure your technical volume explicitly addresses each evaluation factor and subfactor. Structure your response so evaluators can easily score each criterion. Emphasize strengths that align with the most heavily weighted factors.
Cost Volume
Building a competitive, compliant, and defensible price.
Verify labor categories match the PWS
Ensure your proposed labor categories match the solicitation's requirements exactly. If the PWS specifies "Senior Software Engineer," use that title, not "Lead Developer." Map each labor category to the work described in your technical approach.
Calculate indirect rates accurately
Apply your current fringe, overhead, and G&A rates. If you have DCAA-approved rates, use them. If not, use provisional rates based on your actual cost structure. Document the basis for all rates. Unrealistic rates trigger price realism concerns.
Include all Other Direct Costs
Account for all non-labor direct costs: travel, materials, equipment, software licenses, training, certifications, and any other costs directly attributable to the contract. Get vendor quotes for significant items. Do not bury ODCs in indirect rates.
Verify all math and calculations
Check every calculation in your pricing spreadsheets. Verify that hours times rates equal the correct totals, indirect rates are applied correctly, and summary tables match detailed backup. Math errors signal carelessness and can disqualify your proposal.
Prepare a cost narrative
Write a narrative that explains your pricing methodology, basis of estimate for labor hours, rationale for staffing levels, and any assumptions. The cost narrative helps the government understand why your price is fair and reasonable.
Compare to IGCE if available
If the Independent Government Cost Estimate is published or can be inferred from budget documents, compare your price against it. Significant deviations in either direction should be explainable. Being within 10-15% of the IGCE is typically competitive.
Ensure pricing is competitive
Research historical awards for similar work using FPDS and USAspending data. Check GSA Schedule rates for comparable labor categories. If your price is significantly above the competitive range, look for ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality or compliance.
Save Pre-Proposal to your account
Track progress on the Pre-Proposal checklist and get reminders as deadlines approach.
Find Opportunities Worth Proposing On
Search across SAM.gov, USAspending, FPDS, and Grants.gov to find contracts that match your capabilities. Use historical data to assess competitiveness before you invest in a proposal.