The Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum highlighting the urgent need to accelerate software acquisitions. As part of this guidance, he named Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) as one of two “default solicitation” methods for acquiring software rapidly.

The growing emphasis on OTAs isn’t just limited to Information Technology. Their use is expanding across various sectors of defense acquisition—and that trend is expected to continue.

Successful business development executives make it a priority to stay informed. They read the news, attend conferences, join webinars, and participate in workshops to better understand a constantly shifting landscape.

They go beyond the surface—doing the research, asking the tough questions, running scenario analyses, and building contingency plans. In short, they think and act strategically.

Standard capture processes are highly complex and demand significant human involvement.

To reduce costs and improve efficiency, BD leaders should consider the following strategies:

Not all government databases and websites/platforms are “hyper accurate”.

For conducting analysis, it’s important to understand what each site or database provides, where the information is drawn from, how frequently its updated and what information you can access.

Understanding what each site or database provides can help you determine how information is collected and reported, and which site(s) or database(s) best suit your needs.

There is a general lack of understanding about what the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is and does.

SAM.gov is the centralized repository for federal acquisition information.  The platform consolidates several previously standalone systems, making it a comprehensive resource for conducting analysis and solutioning.

A successful shift from capture management to proposal development is essential for maintaining alignment and ensuring smooth operations.

In service-based companies, AI tools are primarily integrated into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, mainly for customer or market analysis. These tools offer little to no operational functionality for tasks like solution development, comparative analysis, or capture management. In some instances where operational functionality is provided, AI is often limited to simple add-on features, such as keyword searches, creating compliance checklists, or generating basic proposal content.

As an incumbent, business development (BD) activities during the contract period are just as crucial, if not more so, than the efforts made when responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP). These ongoing BD efforts are vital for two primary reasons: they help maximize the profitability of the current contract and prepare the company for a successful recompete. There are three main BD objectives for incumbent contracts: 1) achieving the business case goals set for the opportunity, 2) identifying and exploiting opportunities for contract growth, and 3) preparing effectively for the contract recompete.

A key element of capturing new work is Resource Management; ensuring that the necessary resources, including personnel, technology, and financial stability, are available to perform the contract fully. Financial stability (consistent cash flow, adequate reserves, access to credit, etc.) prevents a number of issues, from schedule delays to labor challenges, and reduces exposure to penalties and damages due to contract non-compliance.

It’s important for Business Development (BD) leaders to capture the metrics necessary for properly managing the BD activity. Not all BD leaders do, and many succumb to a common pitfall of only capturing the metrics necessary for completing briefing or status charts. Consequently, BD leaders tend to manage the BD activity to those metrics, missing important information that would have been useful if known.

Strategic Planning is a business process used for assessing an organization’s position; establishing goals; creating a plan to achieve those goals; allocating resources; and evaluating success.

There are several commercially available publications, companion guides and handbooks for training or supporting Capture Management. However, most are thin when it comes to meaningful content, meaning analysis, strategy development or solutioning.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is often colloquially referred to as the “bible’ for government contracting. Given its critical importance, one might reasonably expect that all Business Development (BD) professionals, particularly those in leadership roles or serving as Capture Managers, would possess a functional understanding of it.

A new trend has emerged in how companies are recruiting and selecting Business Development professionals. In an effort to be more selective, companies are requiring applicants to provide more and more detailed histories on bid and proposal activities.

Capture tools serve as instruments to communicate vital information to leadership and stakeholders.

Often, they are integrated into gate, step, or milestone briefings, to supplement textual data with visual aids, making the information more comprehensible for bid/no-bid decision-making.

Business Development (BD) is a crucial aspect of many companies. However, there's often a challenge known as the "interoperability gap."

An essential element of professional development is maintaining relevance. The simplest way to keep an active connection – and thus remain relevant, is through professional reading.

Probability of win (pWIN) is a mathematical calculation for predicting the likelihood of winning the

opportunity you’ve bid, expressed as a percentage or whole number.