How to Create a Capabilities Statement for Marketing to the Government

Transcription

1 How to Create a Capabilities Statement for Marketing to the Government CALTRANS 11th Annual Procurement & Resource Fair Oct 21, 2015 Trisha Ferrand & Procurement Technical Assistance Center tferrand@ptac-sandiego.org

2 Agenda 1. What is a Capabilities Statement? 2. Fundamental Components 3. Additional Components 4. Accessing the PTAC Archive of Sample Capabilities Statements 5. Accessing PTAC Services

3 Pay Attention to Punctuation! An English Professor wrote these words on the chalkboard and asked his students to punctuate it correctly: A woman without her man is nothing. All the male students wrote: A woman, without her man, is nothing. All the female students wrote: A woman: without her, man is nothing. Use a proofreader. Use an online proofreader: Improve your own writing by reading these classics: The Elements of Style by Strunk & White Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

4 1. What is a Capabilities Statement? Today s presentation will focus on your marketing capabilities statement. It is like a resume for your company. Provides essential information to customers & partners. Is a concise overview of qualifications & experience. Clearly shows why you are a fit for the customer. Can be a simple 1 or 2 page summary or more detailed, at your discretion, depending upon occasion & customer.

5 1. What is a Capabilities Statement? Effective Uses Distribute paper copies to buyers, potential customers, and prime contractors. Use at trade shows, meetings, events. Tailor to specific audiences. Deliver electronic version via (pdf format) before or after phone calls or in meetings, to build a relationship. Present via your website as a downloadable pdf and/or a custom page on your website.

6 1. What is a Capabilities Statement? Your marketing capabilities statement is NOT submitted in response to formal solicitations, though it might be adaptable for some Sources Sought notifications. For formal solicitations you must follow the format provided in the Request for Proposal or Request for Quote. For Sources Sought, if no format, and a sequence of data is not indicated, then you may submit a tailored version of your marketing capabilities statement. When responding to formal solicitations and Sources Sought notifications, you will provide much more detail on your past performance.

7 2. Fundamental Components fun da men tal ˌfəndəˈmen(t)əl/ adjective 1. forming a necessary base or core; of central importance. Image credit:

8 2. Fundamental Components A. Company Profile B. Core Competencies C. Differentiators D. Past Performance E. Contracting Data F. Contact Us You can present these components as subtitles in your C.S., or you can use similar subtitles, or no subtitle. Be sure to use Capabilities Statement (or Capability Statement) as your document title.

9 2. Fundamental Components A. Company Profile, or Company Intro Company Background About Us Summary Overview

10 2. Fundamental Components A. Company Profile may include: When company was founded, by whom, legal structure (e.g., corporation or sole proprietorship) Founder/owner s years of experience Purpose or mission of company, synopsis of services or products Why or how company was founded Most important differentiator

11 2. Fundamental Components B. Core Competencies, or Services Offered Products and Services Solutions

12 2. Fundamental Components B. Core Competencies Should describe what you do best. If you have diverse target markets then you may need more than one Capabilities Statement. Customize by customer and occasion. A bulleted list is easy to scan. NAICS codes can be combined with keywords in a single list. Support company gaps in skills or experience with Teaming Partners, Subcontractors, Associates

13 2. Fundamental Components C. Differentiators, or Why Choose Us The [Company name] Advantage How We Differ What Sets Us Apart Operational Highlights Cite your Unique Selling Proposition May stand alone in its own section or may be presented under other components and/or expressed as a slogan or tag line.

14 2. Fundamental Components C. Differentiators Listen for your customers to reveal what they like best about your company. Consider these examples from the hand-out, published by CapturePlanning.com, about differentiation based on: What your brand represents How you deliver Results Trustworthiness Can you find Ardent s specific differentiators? What are your differentiators?

15 2. Fundamental Components D. Past Performance, or Experience Projects Clients Client Relationships Contracting Highlights

16 What to Include in Past Performance Key Data Points Client/Customer Name Prime s name Project name Project description (more or less detail as needed) Dollar value of your contract or subcontract Year completed or Date/s of Performance

17 What to Include in Past Performance Additional Information, as appropriate Challenges faced and overcome Impacts Project location References: Point of contact, title, , phone If a federal contract, include contract number.

18 2. Fundamental Components E. Contracting Information, or Company Data Data may be combined or split into various other types of data categories: Registrations & Certifications NAICS Legal Structure IDIQ Contracts Purchase cards Accepted Purchase cards accepted Professional licenses Insurance, bonding Rarely used CAGE: 5P3Z8

19 Best Way to Show Your Certifications Show what agency granted the cert. Name the cert, abbreviations ok. Provide the look-up numbers your supplier or vendor i.d., so you can be easily and quickly verified in the online databases. Your DUNS number or CAGE code are your look-up numbers for all of your certifications in SAM. DUNS: SBA certified HUBZone: CAGE: 76ND3 08/01/ /01/2023 SAM registered EDWOSB, SDVOSB, SDB CA DOT DBE/MBE/WBE: CA DGS DVBE/SB/Micro: City of San Diego ELBE: 14AL1189

20 2. Fundamental Components F. Contact Us or Contact or simply: Craig Metheny Director of Government Services... etc. Can be part of the letterhead, or boxed with or without a border, or as a footer. or or or

21 3. Additional Components Experience of Key Personnel, or Personnel Teaming Partners, or subcontractors Associates Especially important for a start-up lacking in past performance for the company Testimonials, or What Our Customers Say About Us No subtitle, just frame the testimonial in a box, like a photo accent Bonding levels Licenses and industry certifications Insurance Security clearance Geographic coverage Use Safe Harbor indirect cost rates (for CA A&E firms) Image credit:

22 3. Additional Components Contracting methods, ways they can buy from you: Accept government purchase cards GSA Schedule, SeaportE, CMAS (CA Multiple Award Schedule) Other IDIQs Quality Assurance Certifications Equipment Awards or recognition Publication citations Professional memberships, BBB, especially if you play an active role Photos Social media links Linked In, Facebook, Twitter Do not include your EIN. EIN Image credit:

23 4. Accessing the Archive Go to: www.

24 Bonus for PTAC Clients Individual review & feedback for your C.S. 24

25 5. Accessing PTAC Services If your company is not located in San Diego, go here to find a PTAC near you: If your company is based in San Diego, go here to apply for services at our Contracting Opportunities Center: erid=0