sales business developmentcapture managementgovconrfp pursuitshipley process
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Track record
35% weight
Check named awards: agency, vehicle (GWAC, IDIQ, OASIS+), contract value, prime or sub role, and win rate across pursuits they personally captured.
Explains the market and buyer they sold to, not just the product
Distinguishes what they closed from what the team closed
Can describe a deal they lost and why
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No numbers; cannot describe what they actually sold or to whom.
2
Needs Improvement
Vague attainment; credit for team results is unclear.
3
Satisfactory
Real record with some numbers; attribution occasionally fuzzy.
4
Very Good
Clear numbers and ownership, including honest losses.
5
Excellent
Cites specific wins with dollar values, agencies, and competitors beaten, plus honest losses and the debrief lessons taken from them.
02
Evaluation factor
Method and qualification
25% weight
Probe their capture discipline: Shipley or equivalent gate reviews, bid/no-bid criteria, black hat and price-to-win analysis, teaming decisions before RFP drop.
Evidence to listen for
Has a repeatable approach to qualifying and progressing deals
Can walk a real deal from first contact to close
Handles objections with questions rather than scripts
Knows when to disqualify
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No method; pitches at everyone and hopes.
2
Needs Improvement
Weak qualification; deals stall with no diagnosis.
3
Satisfactory
Workable method; inconsistent on complex or long cycles.
4
Very Good
Clear repeatable method; disqualifies early and deliberately.
5
Excellent
Describes a repeatable gate process, walks through a real price-to-win and black hat session, and defends a no-bid call.
03
Evaluation factor
Relationships and trust
25% weight
Assess relationships built during the pre-RFP window: program office contacts, incumbents, small business partners, and how they sourced intel beyond SAM.gov and GovWin.
Evidence to listen for
Has clients or talent who came back or referred them
Manages a difficult conversation without damaging the relationship
Represents the client's interest, not only the commission
Builds rapport across seniority levels
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Transactional; burns relationships for a close.
2
Needs Improvement
Builds rapport but does not sustain relationships.
3
Satisfactory
Solid relationships; less tested in conflict.
4
Very Good
Repeat business and referrals; handles conflict without damage.
5
Excellent
Names customer call plans, sustained multi-year agency relationships, and teaming partners who chose them as prime on later pursuits.
04
Evaluation factor
Drive and resilience
15% weight
Look for stamina across 18 to 36 month capture cycles: handling protests, CR delays, recompete losses, and proposal crunch without dropping pipeline coverage.
Evidence to listen for
Handles rejection and a bad quarter without unravelling
Self-directed on pipeline rather than waiting for leads
Coachable on feedback
Honest in how they represent the product and themselves
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Gives up easily; blames leads, product, or market.
2
Needs Improvement
Motivation depends on momentum; resistant to coaching.
3
Satisfactory
Steady; recovers from setbacks with support.
4
Very Good
Self-motivated, coachable, and steady through bad stretches.
5
Excellent
Shows persistence through long cycles and reversals, keeping pipeline coverage ratios healthy while managing simultaneous capture efforts.
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