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Read moreCapability statement template
Capability statement template with a filled-in sample
Updated
A capability statement template lays out the one-page summary agencies and primes ask for: who you are, what you do best, why you are different, where you have done it before, and the company data that lets a buyer check you in SAM.gov. Below is the six-part template, what goes in each part, and a made-up sample filled in from top to bottom.
Every feature on every plan, from $99 a month billed yearly.
- Six sections on one page
- UEI, CAGE, NAICS and PSC in one block
- Past performance with real outcomes
- A made-up sample, filled in
The basics
What a government capability statement is, and when you need one
A capability statement is a one-page (sometimes two-page) document that summarizes what your company does for government buyers. Small business specialists, contracting officers and prime contractors ask for it at industry days, in response to sources sought notices, at matchmaking events and when they look for teaming partners. It is a marketing document, but a factual one: everything on it can be checked.
It is not a proposal. A proposal answers one solicitation; a capability statement introduces the company. That is why many firms keep one general version and tailor a copy for each agency, putting the competencies and past performance that matter to that customer first. The full how-to is in how to write a capability statement; the definition is in the glossary.
Buyers read it in seconds. The template below follows the order most of them expect, so the facts they look for are where they look.
- Industry days, matchmaking events and teaming talks
- Attached to a sources sought or RFI response
- Read by small business specialists and primes
- Tailored per agency, never generic
Capability statement format
The capability statement template: six sections on one page
Most capability statements use a two-column layout: competencies and past performance in the wide column, company data and contact details in the narrow one. Whatever the layout, these six sections are what buyers expect to see.
| Section | What to put in it | Length tip |
|---|---|---|
| Header and contact | Company name, logo, one line on what you do, website, phone and email. | Two or three lines at the top. |
| Core competencies | The services or products you deliver, in the words the agency uses in its own solicitations and statements of work. | 4-6 bullets, one line each. |
| Differentiators | Why a buyer should pick you: a method, a certification, a cleared workforce, a location, a result you can prove. | 3-4 bullets, specific and checkable. |
| Past performance | Recent contracts or subcontracts: customer, what you did, and the outcome. Government work first, commercial work if relevant. | 3-5 short entries. |
| Company data | UEI, CAGE code, NAICS codes (primary first), PSC codes, small business certifications and set-aside eligibility, contract vehicles. | A compact block or table. |
| Point of contact | One named person with title, direct phone and email, so the reader knows who to call. | One or two lines. |
Capability statement sample
A capability statement sample, filled in
The sample below is invented: the company, codes, contracts and contact are made up to show what good entries look like. Notice that every line is specific. "Experienced IT provider" says nothing; "help desk support for 2,000 users with 85 percent first-contact resolution" gives the buyer something to check and remember.
The identifiers are placeholders. Use your own UEI and CAGE code exactly as they appear in your SAM.gov registration, and list the NAICS codes your registration carries. See SAM.gov registration, UEI and CAGE.
| Section | Sample entry (fictional) |
|---|---|
| Header and contact | Example Tech Services LLC - IT help desk and network operations for federal agencies. example.com, (555) 010-0100. |
| Core competencies | Tier 1-3 help desk support; network operations and monitoring; endpoint management; IT asset inventory; end-user training. |
| Differentiators | Help desk staff cleared at the Secret level; knowledge-base method that raised first-contact resolution on our last contract; offices within 30 minutes of the customer site. |
| Past performance | Federal civilian agency (subcontract): help desk for about 2,000 users, 2023-2026. County government: network monitoring for 40 sites, 2022-2025. |
| Company data | UEI: XXXXXXXXXXXX (placeholder). CAGE: XXXXX (placeholder). NAICS: 541512 (primary), 541519. PSC: DA01. Small business; SDVOSB (fictional example). |
| Point of contact | Business development lead, (555) 010-0101, bd@example.com. |
What makes it work
How to make a capability statement agencies remember
Write for the reader you are sending it to. Read the agency's recent solicitations, its forecast and its mission statement, and use its words for the work. Put the competencies that match its needs first, and drop the ones it never buys.
Make every claim checkable. Past performance entries should name the type of customer, the work and the result; a contracting officer can confirm a contract in public award data. Certifications should match what your SAM.gov registration says; a buyer who finds a difference stops reading.
Keep it to one page where you can, in a readable font, with plenty of white space. Save it as a PDF with a clear file name (company name, "capability statement", agency), and update the codes and past performance whenever they change. The small business certifications guide explains the set-aside programs you may list.
- The agency's own words for the work
- Claims a buyer can verify
- Codes and certifications that match SAM.gov
- One page, a readable font, white space
In ProposalWorkspace
Keep the facts in one place, and build the statement from them
The hard part of a capability statement is keeping the facts right across every copy. In ProposalWorkspace the company profile holds them once: identity and registrations (UEI, CAGE, SAM status), NAICS and PSC codes, certifications and set-asides, facility security and clearances, core competencies, win themes, past performance and contract vehicles. It can pull company details from your documents or your website, and each section has its own "Ask AI".
The built-in AI can polish your capability statement text from those facts only: it does not invent experience you do not have. The Past Performance library keeps each reference with its agency, contract number, value, role, CPARS rating and a readiness check, so the entries you list are current.
In PowerPoint, the ProposalWorkspace add-in builds decks from a pursuit's own data, a capability statement among them (it needs PowerPoint 2021 or later). See the Word, Excel and PowerPoint add-in.
How it works
How to fill in the capability statement template
Gather the facts
UEI, CAGE, NAICS, PSC, certifications, vehicles and your three to five best references.
Pick the agency
Read its recent solicitations and use its words for the work you do.
Fill the six sections
Header, competencies, differentiators, past performance, company data, contact.
Check and send
Match every code to SAM.gov, keep it to one page and save it as a PDF.
Every feature is on every plan. Plans start at $99 a month billed annually for Solo with 2 seats ($129 billed monthly). Subscribe today or book a demo with our team. Full pricing
In the product
Where ProposalWorkspace keeps your company facts
Past Performance library
Each reference with agency, value, role, CPARS rating and a readiness check.
Read moreCapability statement polish
The built-in AI tightens your text from your own facts, never inventing any.
Read morePowerPoint decks
Decks built from the pursuit's own data in the Office add-in, a capability statement among them.
Read moreOpportunity discovery
Federal, state and local bids scored 0-100 against the same company profile.
Read moreSources sought responses
The pre-award lifecycle for responding to a sources sought notice or RFI.
Read moreQuestions people ask
Capability statement template: questions and answers
What should a capability statement include?
Six parts: a header with contact details, core competencies, differentiators, past performance, company data (UEI, CAGE code, NAICS and PSC codes, certifications, contract vehicles) and one named point of contact.
How long should a capability statement be?
One page is the norm; two at most. Buyers scan it quickly, so short, specific lines work better than paragraphs.
Is there a required capability statement format?
No. There is no official government format. The six sections on this page are what buyers expect, and a two-column layout with company data in the narrow column is common.
Should I have a different capability statement for each agency?
It helps. Keep one general version and tailor a copy per agency, putting the competencies and past performance that match its needs first and using its own words for the work.
Can I download this capability statement template?
The template is shown on this page so you can copy its structure into your own document. ProposalWorkspace keeps the facts that fill it in your company profile.
Can ProposalWorkspace help write a capability statement?
Yes. Your company profile holds the registrations, codes, certifications and past performance; the built-in AI can polish capability statement text from those facts only, and the PowerPoint add-in can build a capability statement deck from a pursuit's data.
How much does ProposalWorkspace cost?
ProposalWorkspace starts at $99 a month billed annually ($129 billed monthly) for 2 seats, with every feature on every plan. See pricing or book a demo.
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