The Capability Statement is your entry point to federal opportunities.
The Capability Statement (or Capabilities Statement) is your entry point to federal opportunity.
This statement matters more than most organizations realize. In the federal ecosystem, decision-makers are not looking for storytelling or branding language; they are scanning for capability, relevance, and risk reduction. A Capability Statement exists to answer one core question quickly and clearly: Can your organization perform the work, comply with requirements, and deliver results with minimal risk?
A true Capability Statement is a strategic contracting tool built on intentional positioning and awareness. Its role is to place your organization clearly within the federal marketplace and communicate, at a glance, what you do and why you are relevant.
At its core, it begins with Core Competencies: not as a list of services, but as a clear articulation of operational capabilities. This distinction is critical. Services describe activities, while competencies demonstrate how work is performed, under what standards, and with what level of technical authority. When framed correctly, core competencies educate evaluators and establish credibility within seconds.
Beyond capabilities, an effective Capability Statement must clearly define Differentiators and Competitive Advantages: the elements that reduce perceived risk for the government and explain why your organization is the safer, stronger choice. These may include compliance history, certifications, methodologies, systems, or specialized expertise.
Last but not least, the document is anchored by Past Performance, where experience is translated into proof through outcomes, metrics, relevance, and scope. This is where credibility is confirmed: performance is not described narratively, but framed in the language federal evaluators use to assess value, risk, and reliability.
Proposal and Grant Writers, LLC is a service-based firm that supports businesses, nonprofits, and individuals in securing funding by preparing and submitting competitive, high-quality proposals and grant applications. Our work spans IFBs, RFPs, RFQs, NOFOs, GSA Leasing (RLP) proposals, and other federal, public, private, and philanthropic opportunities.
We specialize in translating experience into compliance-ready, evaluator-focused submissions that reduce risk and increase competitiveness. As part of this approach, we also help organizations develop clear, strategic, and fully aligned Capability Statements designed not as marketing pieces, but as effective entry points into the federal marketplace.
If you are unsure whether your current Capability Statement is doing this work for you, we invite you to request a Capability Statement Review. A short, focused assessment can clarify gaps, strengthen positioning, and help determine next steps toward federal readiness.
Warm regards,
Raquel Torres Arzola
Founder & Lead Strategist
Proposal and Grant Writers, LLC
Strategic Proposal & Grant Development
Federal • Public • Private • Philanthropic
📩 raquel@proposalandgrantwriters.com
🌐 www.proposalandgrantwriters.com
