What is a bid/no-bid decision?

Why does the bid/no-bid decision matter?

A proposal costs days of a small team’s time. The most expensive proposals are the ones that were never going to win, so the decision about which opportunities to chase matters more than how fast a team writes.

What are the hard gates?

A failed gate that cannot be waived is a no-bid as prime, whatever the score:

• An active SAM.gov registration — federal awards require one (FAR 4.1102).
• Set-aside eligibility — a contract reserved for 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB or HUBZone firms can be bid as prime only by a certified firm.
• Required certifications — federal cloud software usually needs FedRAMP authorisation at the right impact level.
• A realistic deadline — enough time to produce a compliant response.

How is a bid/no-bid score built?

Once the gates pass, the opportunity is scored on the factors that predict a win: how well the offering fits the requirement, relevant past performance, the likely competition, price competitiveness, capacity to deliver, and access to the contract vehicle the buyer uses.

The useful output is a verdict, not just a number: bid, bid only if a named gap is closed, or no-bid.

What if a gate fails but the fit is strong?

Teaming is the usual answer. A set-aside the company does not hold, a contract vehicle it cannot use, or thin past performance all point to bidding as a subcontractor under an established prime, building a record while winning work.

How does VeloCapture handle bid/no-bid?

VeloCapture checks the gates and scores each opportunity 0–100 against the company profile, then returns a verdict with the evidence behind it — and says whether to bid as prime or through a prime.

Sources

• FAR 4.1102 — SAM registration required before award (acquisition.gov)
• SBA — contracting assistance programs and set-asides
• FedRAMP — authorisation for cloud services used by federal agencies