Get the Right People in the Right Roles
Most capture failures aren’t about bad strategies or poor proposals - they’re about putting the wrong person in charge or not having the right mix of skills on the team. You can’t win a $50M deal with a part-time capture manager who’s never done government work, just like you can’t build customer relationships with an engineer who’s afraid to pick up the phone. The expensive reality: Great companies lose winnable deals because they treated capture like a side job instead of the specialized discipline it is.The Four People You Actually Need
The Capture Manager (Your Field General)
What they actually do: Keep everyone focused on winning instead of just doing their part Why you need them: Someone has to think about the whole picture while everyone else focuses on their piece What makes them good: They’ve won deals like this before and know what really matters Common mistake: Using someone who’s never managed a government capture beforeThe Relationship Builder (Your Intelligence Network)
What they actually do: Find out what the customer really wants and who really decides Why you need them: Government decisions happen in conversations, not just evaluations What makes them good: People trust them and tell them things they don’t tell other vendors Common mistake: Assigning this to someone who thinks relationship building is spam emailsThe Technical Architect (Your Solution Designer)
What they actually do: Figure out how to solve the customer’s problem better than anyone else Why you need them: You can’t win on relationships alone - your solution has to actually work What makes them good: They understand both the technical problem and the business constraints Common mistake: Using your best engineer who has no idea what government actually needsThe Pricing Strategist (Your Profit Protector)
What they actually do: Find the price that wins the deal without losing your shirt Why you need them: Price wrong and you either lose or win a deal that bankrupts you What makes them good: They know what similar work actually costs and what competitors charge Common mistake: Having your accountant guess at what government work should costSize Your Team to the Prize
Small Deals (Under $10M): Keep It Lean
The reality: You can’t afford a full-time team, but you still need to win- One person wearing multiple hats - your capture manager also builds relationships and may handle technical
- Borrowed expertise - get pricing help from someone who knows this market
- Focus on the essentials - relationships and a solid technical approach Don’t skimp on: Customer intelligence and competitive analysis
Medium Deals ($10-100M): Build the Core Team
The reality: Now it’s worth investing in dedicated people, but keep it focused- Full-time capture manager - this is their only job until you win or lose
- Dedicated relationship person - someone whose job is knowing the customer
- Technical lead who gets government - not just your best engineer
- Real pricing expertise - someone who’s priced government work before Add specialists as needed: Subject matter experts, proposal writers
Big Strategic Deals (Over $100M): Go All In
The reality: These deals can make or break your company - staff accordingly- Senior capture executive - your best person with a proven track record
- Relationship team by stakeholder - different people for different customer groups
- Technical dream team - your A-players with government experience
- Full-time competitive intelligence - someone watching every competitor move Support the team: Dedicated admin, proposal support, whatever they need to win
How to Build a Team That Actually Wins
1
Figure Out What You're Really Up Against
- How complex is this work? (Determines if you need senior technical people)
- Who are the decision makers? (Determines who needs relationships with whom)
- Who else is bidding? (Determines how strong your team needs to be)
- How long do we have? (Determines if you can build relationships or just execute)
2
Match People to the Challenge
- Size the team to the prize - don’t send junior people to major battles
- Get the skills you actually need - not just the skills you have available
- Plan for the whole journey - capture through contract performance
- Budget for the team you need - not the team you can afford
3
Pick Your Players
- Capture manager: Has won deals like this before (not just managed projects)
- Relationship builder: Already knows this customer or can build trust quickly
- Technical leader: Understands both the technology and the government
- Pricing expert: Knows what government work costs and what competitors charge
4
Set Up for Success
- Make roles crystal clear - who decides what, who owns what outcomes
- Establish regular communication - weekly team calls, monthly customer reviews
- Give someone final authority - capture manager makes the calls
- Track what matters - customer relationships, competitive position, team performance
Team Communication Framework
Regular Meetings
- Weekly Team Calls: Status updates, issue resolution, coordination
- Bi-weekly Customer Reviews: Stakeholder feedback, relationship updates
- Monthly Strategy Sessions: Competitive assessment, approach refinement
- Quarterly Executive Reviews: Senior leadership alignment and support
Communication Tools
- Team Chat Channels: Real-time communication and quick updates
- Document Sharing: Centralized access to capture materials
- Project Management: Task tracking and deadline management
- Video Conferencing: Regular team meetings and customer interactions
Information Flow
- Customer intelligence flows from BD to entire team
- Technical insights shared from leads to capture manager
- Competitive intelligence distributed to all team members
- Pricing analysis shared with technical and BD teams
Performance Management
Individual Accountability
- Clear role definitions and expectations
- Regular one-on-one check-ins with capture manager
- Milestone-based performance tracking
- Contribution recognition and feedback
Team Performance Metrics
- Customer engagement frequency and quality
- Competitive intelligence gathering effectiveness
- Technical solution development progress
- Overall capture plan execution status
Success Criteria
- Achievement of capture milestones on schedule
- Positive customer feedback and relationship building
- Competitive differentiation and positioning success
- Seamless transition to proposal development