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Capability statement template

A capability statement is a short document, usually one page, that tells a government buyer or prime contractor who you are, what you do and how to reach you. Below is a free one-page template you can print, save as a PDF or copy as plain text, plus plain advice on filling in each section.

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The standard sections

What goes in a capability statement

Federal buyers expect the same few sections, in roughly the same order. Stick to them and a buyer finds what they need without hunting.

Company overview
Two or three sentences on who you are, what you deliver and who you deliver it to.
Core competencies
The services or products you want to be hired for, as a short list.
Past performance
Contracts and projects you have delivered, for government or commercial customers.
Differentiators
The reasons a buyer should pick you over another firm with the same codes.
Company data
Your UEI, CAGE code, primary and secondary NAICS codes, set-aside certifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB or SDVOSB, and any GSA Schedule or other contract vehicles your business actually holds.
Point of contact
One named person, with a direct phone number and an email address.

The template

A one-page capability statement to fill in

Replace each bracketed placeholder with your own details. Printing this page prints only the template, so you can save it as a PDF and edit from there, or copy the plain-text outline below into your own document.

[Company name]

[One line: what you deliver, and to whom]

[Company overview: two or three sentences on who you are, what you deliver and who you deliver it to]

Core competencies

  • [Service or product, in the buyer's words]
  • [Service or product]
  • [Service or product]

Past performance

  • [Customer or customer type]: [scope of work], [what you delivered]
  • [Customer or customer type]: [scope of work], [what you delivered]

Differentiators

  • [What sets you apart, in terms a buyer can check]
  • [A certification, method, location or capacity]

Company data

UEI:
[UEI]
CAGE code:
[CAGE code]
Primary NAICS:
[Primary NAICS code and description]
Secondary NAICS:
[Secondary NAICS codes and descriptions]
Certifications:
[Set-asides you hold, such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, or "None yet"]
Contract vehicles:
[GSA Schedule or other vehicles you hold, or "None yet"]

Contact

[Name], [Title]
[Phone]
[Email]
[Website address]

Copy the outline

The same structure as plain text. Select it and paste it into a word processor to start your own version.

[COMPANY NAME]
[One line: what you deliver, and to whom]

[Company overview: two or three sentences on who you are, what you deliver and who you deliver it to]

CORE COMPETENCIES
- [Service or product, in the buyer's words]
- [Service or product]
- [Service or product]

PAST PERFORMANCE
- [Customer or customer type]: [scope of work], [what you delivered]
- [Customer or customer type]: [scope of work], [what you delivered]

DIFFERENTIATORS
- [What sets you apart, in terms a buyer can check]
- [A certification, method, location or capacity]

COMPANY DATA
UEI: [UEI]
CAGE code: [CAGE code]
Primary NAICS: [Primary NAICS code and description]
Secondary NAICS: [Secondary NAICS codes and descriptions]
Certifications: [Set-asides you hold, such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, or "None yet"]
Contract vehicles: [GSA Schedule or other vehicles you hold, or "None yet"]

CONTACT
[Name], [Title]
[Phone]
[Email]
[Website address]

Filling it in

How to write each section

Write for a reader who has a requirement to fill and a list of vendors to check. Short, specific and true beats long and polished.

Company overview

  • Lead with the buyer's need, not your company history.
  • Say what you deliver and to whom in the first sentence.
  • Skip the mission statement. Keep to facts a buyer can use.

Core competencies

  • Use the words buyers use in solicitations for your kind of work.
  • Put the work you most want first.
  • Tie each item to a NAICS code you list in your company data.

Past performance

  • List only work you can verify if a buyer asks for a reference.
  • For each entry, give the customer or customer type, the scope and what you delivered.
  • No government contracts yet? List relevant commercial work and label it as commercial.

Differentiators

  • Be specific: a certification, a method, a location or a capacity a buyer can check.
  • Cut words like "quality" and "dedicated" that any firm could claim.
  • Two to four points is plenty.

Company data

  • Copy your codes exactly as they appear in your SAM.gov registration.
  • List only the certifications and contract vehicles you hold today.
  • Where you have none, write "None yet" honestly rather than inventing one or leaving a gap.

Point of contact

  • Name a real person, not a general inbox.
  • Give a direct phone number and an email someone checks every day.
  • Add your website address so a buyer can read more.

Your UEI and CAGE code come from your registration at SAM.gov. The U.S. Small Business Administration at SBA.gov explains its small business certification programs.

Format

Keep it to one page

Buyers skim. A contracting officer or a prime's small business liaison may look at dozens of these for one requirement, and a page that runs long gets set aside. If something does not help a buyer decide to call you, cut it.

  • Name and logo at the top

    The first thing a reader sees should be who you are, with your logo and company name.

  • Codes as text, not images

    Type your UEI, CAGE code and NAICS codes so a buyer can copy and search them.

  • A PDF named after your company

    Send a PDF, and put your company name in the file name so it is easy to find in a crowded folder.

  • Update it when anything changes

    A new NAICS code, certification or contract vehicle means a new version. An outdated statement costs you trust.

Share it

Put it on your website

Give your capability statement its own page on your website, with the content on the page and a download link for the PDF. Then you can send one URL instead of an attachment, update it in one place, and anyone who looks you up finds the current version.

That page works best on a site built for government buyers, with your codes, certifications and past performance easy to find. Our government contractor websites are built around exactly that, and the logistics firm case study shows one we built for a firm that sells to agencies and primes.

$99/mo for a one-page site, $199/mo for five to seven pages. Compare the plans.

Capability statement FAQ

What is a capability statement?

It is a one-page summary of your business, written for the people who buy for the government. It shows the work you can take on, the work you have already delivered and the codes a buyer needs to look you up. Think of it as your company's resume, sized to be read in a minute or two.

How long should a capability statement be?

One page. Buyers often skim a stack of them, and a single page is easy to read, print and forward. If you have more to say, put the detail on your website and point to it from the page.

What is the difference between a capability statement and a proposal?

A capability statement is general. It introduces your company, often before there is a specific requirement. A proposal answers one solicitation, follows the format that solicitation asks for, and covers the approach and pricing for that work. You reuse one capability statement for many conversations, but you write a new proposal for each opportunity.

Do I need a UEI and CAGE code before I write one?

You can start writing without them, but buyers use them to look you up, so add them as soon as you have them. Your Unique Entity ID (UEI) is assigned when you register in SAM.gov, and it replaced the DUNS number. Your CAGE code is assigned during SAM registration through the Defense Logistics Agency's CAGE program. Until they are assigned, leave the placeholders in and fill them in later.

Where do I send my capability statement?

Start with the small business offices at the agencies that buy what you sell, often called the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). Prime contractors usually have small business liaison officers who look for subcontractors, so send it to them too. Attach it to the outreach you do around your SAM.gov profile, and keep a copy on your website so anyone who looks you up can find it.

Want your capability statement online?

Send us your finished statement and we will build a government contractor website around it, with your codes and contact details where buyers look for them.

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