Five-question scorecard
Turn instinct into an explicit 0–20 score with pursue, research, and skip outcomes.
Skip 0—8Research 9—14Pursue 15—20
GovCon Lens field toolkit
Stop bidding on every solicitation you find.
The GovCon Opportunity Filter Toolkit gives your team a focused way to eliminate weak pursuits, research the right facts, and build a position worth bidding.
Research first. Bid second.
The 60-second filter
01
Does the agency already buy what we sell?
02
Can we prove similar work?
03
Do we understand the incumbent?
04
Do we know the agency’s buying history?
05
Can we realistically deliver?
The point
If you cannot answer the questions, you probably do not have an opportunity yet. You have a solicitation.
A better operating system
More bids is not a strategy.
A selective contractor does not simply react to opportunities. They validate demand, identify incumbents, test proof, and decide where their next proposal hour creates the most leverage.
Inside the toolkit
Five working tools. One disciplined decision.
What changes
From “we should probably bid” to a decision your team can explain.
- Put evidence next to every judgment.
- Expose research gaps before proposal kickoff.
- Keep a record of why the team pursued or passed.
Incumbent research brief
Map the prior winner, contract vehicle, value, performance period, and challenger position.
Agency buying-history tracker
Find the repeat patterns that reveal how an office buys and what it values.
SAM.gov qualification pass
Catch mandatory requirements before they turn into a late-stage no-bid.
30-minute review workflow
A time-boxed sequence for research, positioning, decision, and next action.
30 minutes, not 30 hours
A focused workflow keeps first-pass research from becoming an unbounded pre-proposal project.
Research in the right order
Demand, incumbent, buying history, proof, and delivery capacity—before drafting.
Know when to walk away
A clear skip decision protects your calendar for a better-positioned opportunity.
Free field checklist
Get the Five-Question Opportunity Filter Checklist.
Use the one-page scorecard to pressure-test a solicitation today. It is free, printable, and designed to make the next action obvious.
FAQ
Before you use the filter
Who is this for?
Early-stage small businesses that want a disciplined first-pass way to decide where proposal time belongs.
Does it guarantee a win?
No. It helps you evaluate positioning and identify research gaps; it cannot guarantee eligibility, award, or contract performance.
Is this legal or procurement advice?
No. The toolkit is educational and should be used alongside the solicitation, authoritative agency guidance, and qualified professional advice.
What format is included?
The full toolkit is a print-friendly PDF with fill-in worksheets. The free checklist is a one-page PDF for first-pass qualification.
Educational information only; not legal, procurement, or proposal-submission advice.