Who Should Write Your Capability Statement? Options and Costs Compared (2026)

By Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, Founder and Lead Strategist, Global Economic Research Consulting (GERC)

Your capability statement can be written by you, by a free government resource center, by a freelance writer or design agency, or by a government contracting consultant. The right choice depends on how much time you have, how strong your past performance is, and how soon you need to hand the document to a contracting officer, a prime contractor or a buyer at a matchmaking event.

This guide compares each option honestly, explains what each one costs, and shows you how to tell whether a capability statement will actually work before you send it.

What a capability statement has to do

A capability statement is a one-page summary of your business written for government buyers. A contracting officer or small business liaison will spend well under a minute on it. In that time it has to answer three questions: what do you do, in the buyer’s language; why you rather than the next firm; and can you be found and paid, meaning your UEI, CAGE code, NAICS and PSC codes, certifications and contact details are all there. For a full breakdown, see what actually goes on a capability statement.

Whoever writes yours needs to understand both good writing and how government buyers read. That is the real difference between the options below.

Option 1: Write it yourself

Cost: your time, plus a template if you want one. Best for: owners who write well, already know their NAICS and PSC codes, and have clear past performance to show.

Writing it yourself works when you know your market and can be ruthless about cutting. The common mistakes are writing a brochure instead of a buyer document, listing every service you have ever offered, and leaving out the codes and identifiers buyers search for. A good template prevents most layout problems. GERC’s Professional Capability Statement Template ($29) and 12-template bundle ($59) include a completion guide, and our capability statement examples show what strong entries look like.

Option 2: A free APEX Accelerator or SBDC counselor

Cost: free. Best for: businesses with time to draft, revise and wait for an appointment.

APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs) and Small Business Development Centers are government-funded and offer free counseling. They will review your draft and give feedback, and some run workshops on capability statements. In most cases they coach you rather than write the document for you, so you still do the drafting. Availability and wait times vary by office. If you have more time than budget, start here.

Option 3: A freelance writer or design agency

Cost: varies widely; ask for a fixed quote. Best for: firms whose content is already settled and who mainly need a polished design.

A general marketing writer or graphic designer can make a capability statement look excellent. The risk is that it reads like marketing copy. Ask whether they have written for government buyers before, whether they will choose and verify your NAICS and PSC codes, and whether the final file will be editable so you can tailor it for each agency.

Option 4: A government contracting consultant

Cost: GERC’s done-for-you Capability Statement Writing is $895. Best for: businesses that need it right the first time, are new to government buyers, or are preparing for a specific agency, prime contractor or matchmaking event.

A government contracting consultant writes the document and also checks what sits behind it: that your SAM.gov registration is active, that your NAICS and PSC codes match what your target agencies buy, that your certifications are listed correctly, and that your past performance is presented at its strongest without overstating it. GERC also delivers an editable file so you can tailor it for each opportunity. If you also need registration and bid materials, the Phase 3: Capability & Bid Positioning Package covers the capability statement, positioning and past performance materials together.

Side-by-side comparison

How to tell if a capability statement will work

• It fits on one page and can be read in under a minute.
• The first lines describe what you do in the words your target agency uses in its solicitations.
• Differentiators are specific and provable, not “quality service” or “customer focused”.
• Past performance names real work, with agency or client type, scope and results.
• UEI, CAGE code, NAICS and PSC codes, certifications and a direct contact are all visible.
• You have an editable version you can tailor for each agency or prime.

If yours fails two or more of these checks, it is worth rewriting before your next outreach.

Frequently asked questions