Federal contracting and the bid + proposal process requires solid recruiting support. From reading the statement of work, interpreting requirements to create inviting job descriptions, interviewing key personnel and formatting resumes… Recruiters are embedded in the proposal process.
But there are some mistakes that can cost you the contract before it’s even awarded to you. Too often, federal contractors underestimate how recruiting missteps can damage compliance standing and even put contracts at risk.
Resume Formatting Discrepancies
Even minor resume formatting discrepancies can raise red flags during evaluation, weaken proposal credibility, and in some cases, cost contractors valuable points or entire contracts. While technical capability and past performance often receive the most attention, resume compliance plays a critical role in how evaluators assess risk, readiness, and overall proposal quality.
Common examples include:
- Exceeding page limits
- Inconsistent fonts, margins, or spacing
- Missing required headers or role titles
- Misaligned dates or employment timelines
- Inconsistent job titles between resumes and proposal narratives
- Omitting required information (education, certifications, clearance level, years of experience)
While these may seem minor, evaluators are required to score against strict criteria, and deviations rarely go unnoticed.
Poor Candidate Vetting
Poor candidate vetting can cause a proposal to fail because it leads to bad hires who may lack essential skills, not fit the company culture, or perform poorly, which can damage the organization's reputation and lead to the loss of important business opportunities and client trust.
To prevent losing proposals due to inadequate staffing, consider improving your candidate vetting process:
- Establish Clear Job Descriptions: Ensure job descriptions are detailed and specific to attract candidates with relevant skills, reducing the number of unqualified applicants.
- Implement a Rigorous Vetting Process: Go beyond initial impressions. Verify details like employment dates, job titles, and achievements to ensure accuracy. Double check the clearance requirement!
- Act Quickly and Communicate Effectively: A lengthy hiring process can cause top candidates to ghost, giving you a potentially second tier talent pool. Set clear timelines, consolidate interviews, and maintain prompt, transparent communication with all candidates.
Submitting Candidates with No Past Performance
Whether it’s submitting candidates who have no direct agency experience or ignoring the key requirements outlined in the statement of work altogether, having no past performance related to the recruitment piece of bids and proposals will help you land a rejection email in your inbox.
Make sure your company and recruiting team is targeting the right contracts and contacts. If direct agency experience is required, make it a prioiriuty to recruit from those places or associations with candidates who likely have it.
Focus on solicitations where past performance isn't a key evaluation factor, or where it's limited to basic acceptability.
Not Investing in Market Research
Failing to conduct adequate salary research when preparing a proposal, particularly a price proposal, significantly increases the risk of losing the contract. This is because your pricing strategy may be misaligned with market norms and the customer's expectations, leading to bids that are either too high or suspiciously low.
Without salary research, you might estimate labor costs incorrectly. Bidding too high can immediately price you out of the competition, while bidding too low may suggest a quality issue or an inability to deliver the required level of expertise. It’s all about balance.
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