400 Assessments. 20 Years of Data.
We Know Where Win Rates Break Down.
Shipley brings objective, benchmark-driven diagnosis to organizations ready to move their win rate to the next level.
Improving win rates starts with understanding exactly where differentiation is falling short. Shipley has assessed over 400 proposals and capture operations across sectors and geographies. That data tells us what separates organizations that consistently win from those that plateau. We apply that insight to your operation, identify the specific gaps, and design a focused path forward.
Most leaders know their win rate should be higher. Few can point to exactly what's holding it back.
The proposals look good. They're compliant, professional, submitted on time. But they read like every other proposal in the stack.
When BD performance lags, most teams move quickly to solutions. The harder work is diagnosing the root cause. Without objective evidence, organizations treat symptoms instead of causes. The result is predictable. Performance stalls because the real gap was never clearly defined.
The gap is usually one of two things, often both.
The Proposal Gap
Teams write to demonstrate capability instead of differentiation. The proposal proves the organization can do the work but gives the evaluator no compelling reason to choose it over the competition.
The Capture Gap
Teams lack the customer and competitive intelligence needed to position effectively. Without that insight, even strong writers produce generic proposals that check boxes but don’t differentiate.
The Solution
Shipley starts with diagnosis, not assumptions. We assess proposals and capture practices against industry benchmarks to identify where differentiation is breaking down. Then we build a path forward tailored to the actual gap.
Diagnose
We review proposals, survey teams, and examine capture workflows to establish a fact-based baseline. Benchmarked against data from over 400 assessments, the diagnosis identifies the specific gaps between current performance and what it takes to win consistently.
The Path Forward
The path depends on what the diagnosis reveals. It may include one or several of the following:
Expert Consultants
For organizations that need more than a roadmap, Shipley embeds experienced BD professionals directly into operations. Pursuits get stronger. Teams get better. Results compound over time.
Operational Redesign
Restructuring processes to build in strategic differentiation as a defined step, not an afterthought.
Competitive Assessment and Price-to-Win
Deep analysis of the competitor landscape, price benchmarking, and win probability modeling to sharpen positioning on critical pursuits.
Targeted Training
Equipping teams to write persuasively and capture actionable intelligence. Closing the skills gap that turns capable writers into differentiated writers.
Orals Coaching
Preparing teams to deliver clear, confident presentations that win. Differentiation doesn’t end at the written proposal.
Objective diagnosis requires data. Most organizations are working with opinions.
Shipley benchmarks proposals and capture plans against industry data from over 400 assessments. We identify the few changes that will actually move results. Not a 50-item punch list. A focused path your teams can follow without heroics.
Shipley diagnoses the actual gap rather than selling a predetermined solution. That is why the path forward looks different for every client.
20+ years of maturity data: organizations that move from ad hoc to defined processes see win rates improve from below 35% to 51–80%, with 2x effectiveness at winning large, strategic programs.
Technology innovator client increased win rates to 80–85% in three years. Defense technology client doubled win rates by addressing the right issues.
outcomes
What changes when you diagnose before you prescribe:
Proposals that differentiate, not just comply.
A clear understanding of where the gaps are and why they exist.
Capture processes that generate the intelligence needed to position competitively.
Not just a higher win rate, but a higher share of the large, strategic programs that drive growth.
“We had a dozen opinions on what was holding us back and no way to settle it. Shipley gave us a clear baseline and a short list of what to fix. Six months later, our win rate on priority deals is up and the team is finally rowing in the same direction.”
Mollie Hall
Web Developer, Quotient
Case study
How [Company] Identified the Real Gap and Moved Win Rates From [X]% to [Y]%
[Company] knew their win rate should be higher but couldn’t get alignment on what was holding it back. Shipley assessed proposals and capture practices, surfaced the specific gaps, and delivered a focused roadmap. Within [timeframe], leadership was aligned, teams were executing with sharper differentiation, and win rates on priority pursuits improved by [X]%.
Win rates don’t improve by accident. Let’s find out what’s really driving yours.
Frequently asked questions
About the Diagnostic
What does Shipley actually assess?
We review proposals, survey teams, and examine capture workflows. Everything is benchmarked against data from over 400 assessments to establish a fact-based baseline and identify where differentiation is breaking down.
What is the difference between a proposal gap and a capture gap?
A proposal gap means teams write to demonstrate capability instead of differentiation. The proposal proves you can do the work but gives the evaluator no compelling reason to choose you. A capture gap means teams lack the customer and competitive intelligence needed to position effectively. Without that insight, even strong writers produce generic proposals that check boxes but don’t differentiate. Most organizations have both.
How long does the diagnostic take?
Timeline depends on the scope and complexity of the engagement — the number of proposals reviewed, the size of the team, and how deeply we examine capture practices. For most organizations, the diagnostic runs 8 to 12 weeks. Shipley works with each client to move as efficiently as possible so that clear, actionable findings are in hand quickly.
How is this different from a proposal review or a color team?
A color team evaluates a single proposal in progress. This diagnostic evaluates your organization’s patterns across proposals and capture practices to identify systemic issues. It answers not just ‘is this proposal strong’ but ‘where is differentiation consistently falling short, and why?’
About the Benchmarking
What are Shipley’s benchmarks based on?
Over 400 proposal assessments and 20+ years of maturity data across sectors and geographies. This data shows clear patterns: organizations that move from ad hoc to defined processes see win rates improve from below 35% to 51–80%, with 2x effectiveness at winning large, strategic programs.
How do we compare to industry benchmarks?
The diagnostic benchmarks your proposals and capture practices against Shipley’s dataset. You see where you stand relative to industry norms and relative to top performers. The comparison is objective, not opinion-based.
About the Path Forward
Does Shipley prescribe a fixed solution?
No. Shipley diagnoses the actual gap rather than selling a predetermined solution. The path forward is tailored to what the diagnosis reveals. For some organizations, the primary need is targeted training. For others, it is operational redesign, competitive assessment, or embedded expertise. Often it is a combination.
What if the gap is more about capture than proposals?
That is common. Many organizations focus on improving proposal writing when the real issue is upstream: teams lack the customer and competitive intelligence needed to position effectively. If the diagnostic reveals a capture gap, the path forward may include competitive assessment, price-to-win analysis, and process changes that build intelligence gathering into the pursuit lifecycle.
What is price-to-win?
Price-to-win is an analytical approach that models the competitor landscape, benchmarks pricing, and estimates win probability at different price points. It gives pursuit teams an informed basis for pricing decisions on competitive bids rather than relying on gut feel or historical margins.
What does orals coaching involve?
Shipley prepares teams to deliver clear, confident oral presentations that reinforce the differentiation established in the written proposal. Differentiation doesn’t end at the page.
For many competitive pursuits, the final presentation is where the deal is won or lost. A strong written proposal gets you to the table. What happens in the room determines the outcome. Shipley works directly with the people who will be presenting — through mock sessions, structured feedback, and individual coaching — to make sure the differentiation built into the proposal carries through clearly and confidently when it matters most.
About Results
What kind of results can we expect?
Results depend on where the gaps are and how decisively they are addressed. Shipley’s data shows that organizations moving from ad hoc to defined processes see win rates improve from below 35% to 51–80%. A technology innovator client increased win rates to 80–85% in three years. A defense technology client doubled win rates. The common factor is accurate diagnosis followed by focused action.
How quickly do results show?
It depends on what the diagnosis reveals and how decisively the organization acts on the findings. A team that addresses a specific proposal gap with focused training may see improvement within a pursuit cycle or two. Closing a deeper capture gap — one that requires process change and new intelligence-gathering disciplines — takes longer. What Shipley can say with confidence is that organizations that act on an accurate diagnosis move faster than those still debating the root cause.
About Fit
What types of organizations is this for?
Any organization responsible for delivering revenue through competitive proposals that knows its win rate should be higher. The typical buyer is an executive who wants an objective view of what is actually holding performance back, not another round of opinions.
Do we need to commit to a full engagement, or can we start with just the diagnostic?
The diagnostic stands on its own. It delivers a clear picture of where the gaps are and why, benchmarked against industry data. Many organizations start there and then decide how to act on the findings. There is no obligation to engage Shipley beyond the diagnostic.
Can this be done for a single business unit or division?
Yes. The diagnostic can be scoped to a single business unit, division, or the enterprise as a whole. Some organizations start with a single unit to establish a baseline and build the case for broader change. Others come in at the enterprise level from the start. Shipley works with each client to define the right scope based on where the performance pressure is greatest.