BD Resources
Guides to proposal reviews, capture, and the government contracting terms BD teams run into most
Many business development terms sound interchangeable and aren't. Each guide below explains one practice or compares two related terms, lays out the differences side by side, and describes what they change for a capture or proposal team.
Find the Guide That Matches Your Question
Start with the group that fits what you are working on: reviewing or capturing a pursuit, answering a particular kind of solicitation, working within a contract vehicle or set of rules, structuring a team, or building a price.
Proposal and Capture Practice
- What Is a Red Team Review? How a near-final proposal gets reviewed from the evaluator's perspective.
- What Does a Capture Manager Do? The role that positions an organization to win a specific opportunity.
Solicitations and Responses
- Bid vs. Proposal Sealed bidding on price versus negotiated procurement on best value.
- RFA vs. RFP Grant applications versus contract proposals.
- SOO vs. SOW Who defines the approach: the government or the offeror.
Vehicles and Rules
- IDIQ vs. BPA A contract with a guaranteed minimum versus an agreement with none.
- FAR vs. OTA Procurement under the FAR versus other transaction agreements.
- What FAR Compliance Requires of a Proposal Which clauses apply and how the FAR overhaul affects them.
Teaming and Relationships
- Prime Contractor vs. Subcontractor Who holds the contract and who answers for performance.
- Subcontractor vs. Vendor Performing part of the scope versus supplying commercial goods.
- Subrecipient vs. Contractor How 2 CFR 200.331 classifies relationships under federal grants.
Pricing and Eligibility
- G&A vs. Overhead How indirect costs are pooled, allocated, and stacked in a price.
- Choosing NAICS Codes for Government Contracting How NAICS codes and size standards decide set-aside eligibility.