All glossary terms
Capture & Business Development

Business Development Lifecycle

The end-to-end process from market identification through contract delivery. Shipley defines seven phases (0–6) with decision gates at each stage.

Related terms

Account Planning
Strategic process of identifying and developing long-term relationships with target customers, mapping decision-makers, and positioning for future opportunities.
Bid Decision
Decision by the capture team to pursue an opportunity based on win probability, weighing risk, value, and investment required.
Business Development Lifecycle
The end-to-end process from market identification through contract delivery. Shipley defines seven phases (0–6) with decision gates at each stage.
Capture
The art and science of pursuing opportunities before the Draft RFP and RFP are released. Involves customer engagement, competitive intelligence, and solution development.
Competitive Assessment
Systematic evaluation of competitors' likely strategies, solutions, pricing, and teaming arrangements.
Gap Analysis
Tool to determine an offeror's capability and experience gaps, and whether the combined team covers all contract areas.
Opportunity Assessment
Evaluation of a potential contracting opportunity based on profitability, win probability, strategic fit, and resources.
Pipeline
A listing of potential opportunities a company wants to bid or pursue, tracked through BD lifecycle stages.
Price to Compete
An interim, early estimate of what price the customer will perceive as competitive, made before final requirements are known and used to guide initial solution design.
Price-to-Win
Analysis-driven estimate of the price required to win a competitive bid.
Probability of Win
A tool to assess the chance of winning a contract. Helps prioritize which opportunities to pursue.
Solutioning
Brainstorming session to determine the best solutions for the customer's concerns and requirements.