​
Don’t Waste Money on Bad Pursuits

Gate reviews are your reality check system. They stop you from chasing deals you can’t win and fix problems before they kill your chances. Think of them as insurance against the capture disasters that bankrupt companies - spending $500K on a pursuit you never had a shot at winning. The painful reality: Most capture failures could have been prevented by honest reviews that asked the hard questions early and often.

​
The Four Checkpoints That Save Your Business

​
When to Stop and Check Your Work

  • Blue Team Review: “Should we really be doing this?” - Early sanity check before you spend serious money
  • Pink Team Review: “Is our proposal actually going to win?” - Draft review while you can still fix problems
  • Red Team Review: “Are we ready to compete?” - Final battle readiness check before submission
  • Gold Team Review: “What did we learn?” - Post-mortem to get smarter for next time

​
The Three Questions Every Review Must Answer

Can We Actually Win This?
  • Do we have what it takes to beat the competition?
  • Is our strategy based on reality or wishful thinking?
  • Are we competitive on the things that actually matter to the customer?
Should We Keep Spending Money?
  • Is the probability of winning worth the investment required?
  • Do we have the people and resources to execute if we win?
  • Are our customer relationships strong enough to give us a real shot?
Is Our Work Good Enough?
  • Will our approach actually solve the customer’s problem better than competitors?
  • Are our messages compelling enough to change minds?
  • Have we identified and addressed the biggest risks that could sink us?

​
How to Run Reviews That Actually Work

​
Set Up for Success

  1. Give People Time: Schedule reviews early enough that you can actually fix problems
  2. Share the Real Story: Send your capture plan and intelligence - don’t sugarcoat the problems
  3. Get Smart Reviewers: Use people who know this customer, this market, or have won similar deals
  4. Be Clear About Consequences: Everyone needs to know what happens if you fail this review

​
During the Review

  1. Present the Truth: Show your strategy, your assumptions, and your concerns honestly
  2. Fight for Your Ideas: Good reviewers will challenge you - defend your approach if it’s solid
  3. Listen to Experience: When reviewers point out problems, take notes and ask questions
  4. Make the Call: End with a clear decision - keep going, fix specific things, or kill the pursuit

​
After the Review

  1. Fix What’s Broken: If you got feedback about problems, address them immediately
  2. Assign Owners: Every action item needs a name and a deadline - no exceptions
  3. Check Progress: Follow up to make sure the fixes actually happen
  4. Learn from Mistakes: Document what you learned for the next pursuit
Ready to learn about different review types?