Federal Capability Statement Template

What a federal capability statement is for

Federal buyers see hundreds of small businesses. When a contracting officer posts a sources sought notice, meets companies at an industry day, or researches the market before setting aside a contract, the capability statement is often the only thing they read. Prime contractors use capability statements the same way to find subcontractors for their small business plans. A good one answers three questions in under a minute: what do you do, are you eligible, and have you done it before.

This template is laid out the way contracting officers read. The first page puts your core competencies beside your company data (UEI, CAGE code, NAICS and PSC codes, business size, certifications and contract vehicles), followed by past performance with values and references, three evidence-based differentiators and a point of contact. The second page holds a tailoring worksheet for each agency or opportunity, a ten-point checklist to run before sending, and a writing guide for each section.

When to use it

Use it when responding to sources sought notices and requests for information, at industry days and matchmaking events, when introducing your business to agency small business specialists and prime contractors, and as an attachment to emails and proposals. Keep a master version and save a tailored PDF for each agency or opportunity.

A capability statement does not replace a proposal; when an agency issues a solicitation, follow its instructions exactly. Make sure your SAM.gov registration is active before you send it, because an agency will check.

What's inside

The full list of sections and fields in this template, in the order they appear.

1. Header

   • Company name
   • One-line description
   • Website
   • Point of contact

2. Core competencies and company data

   • Five competencies
   • UEI
   • CAGE code
   • Primary and other NAICS
   • PSC codes
   • Business size
   • Certifications
   • Contract vehicles
   • Purchase card

3. Past performance and differentiators

   • Customer
   • Work performed
   • Value
   • Period
   • Reference
   • Three evidence-based differentiators
   • Contact line

4. Tailoring worksheet

   • Agency or prime
   • Opportunity number
   • NAICS and set-aside
   • Agency needs
   • Matching competencies
   • Follow-up

5. Checklist and writing guide

   • Ten pre-send checks
   • Guidance for each section

Preview pages

How to complete the statement

1. Write the header. Add your company name, a one-line description of what you do and for whom, and a contact.
2. List core competencies. Write three to six specific services in the terms agencies use.
3. Copy your company data from SAM.gov. Enter your UEI, CAGE code, NAICS and PSC codes exactly as registered.
4. State your size and certifications. List only current certifications and the size that applies to your codes.
5. Add past performance. List recent, relevant work with values, periods and permitted references.
6. Prove your differentiators. Use numbers and facts rather than adjectives.
7. Tailor it. Complete the worksheet and reorder competencies and past performance for the reader.
8. Run the checklist. Confirm the codes, registration status and one-page fit.
9. Send it as a PDF. Name the file with your company name and the agency or opportunity.

Example: a completed statement excerpt

A fictional Savannah, Georgia company, Coastal Mechanical Services LLC, prepares a statement for a Navy facilities sources sought notice:

Core competencies: preventive and corrective HVAC maintenance; building automation system service; energy audits and retro-commissioning; emergency repair with 24/7 dispatch. Company data: UEI and CAGE code from SAM.gov; primary NAICS 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors); PSC J041 and J045; small business; SBA VetCert service-disabled veteran-owned small business. Past performance: HVAC maintenance for a VA medical center annex, $1.2 million, 2023 to 2026; subcontract under a base operations support contract, $640,000, 2024 to 2025. Differentiators: average 2-hour emergency response across 14 sites; 18 technicians with EPA Section 608 Universal certification; zero lost-time incidents in 4 years.

The company lists the Navy's terms from the notice ("preventive maintenance inspections", "service orders") in its competencies and puts the VA work first because it is the closest match.

Federal rules to know

These are the federal registration and small business rules this statement reflects.

• SAM.gov registration. Required to receive federal awards; it assigns the 12-character Unique Entity ID, which replaced the DUNS number in April 2022, and links to the CAGE code.
• NAICS codes and size standards (13 CFR Part 121). Small business status depends on the size standard for each NAICS code.
• Product and Service Codes. Agencies classify purchases by PSC; listing yours helps buyers searching contract data.
• SBA certifications. 8(a) Business Development, HUBZone, women-owned (WOSB and EDWOSB) and veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned (VetCert) certifications are issued by SBA.
• Small business set-asides (FAR Part 19). Contracting officers research the market, often with sources sought notices, to decide whether to set aside a requirement.

Mistakes that get statements ignored

The common problems are statements that run to several pages, generic competencies such as "full-service solutions", codes that do not match SAM.gov, an expired registration, listing certifications that are pending or lapsed, past performance with no values or dates, adjectives instead of evidence, and sending the same statement to every agency. Completing the worksheet and the checklist for each version avoids each of them.