Seven gaps to check when a government bid does not win.

Educational content, not legal or procurement advice, and not an endorsement by any government agency. Solicitation documents and their amendments control.

Start with evidence, not a verdict

These are review hypotheses, not a ranking of proven causes. A compliant, capable offer can still lose. Use available buyer feedback and the solicitation’s evaluation criteria.

1. Opportunity fit: did the requirement match what your business could deliver?
2. Mandatory conditions: was each required item present and supported?
3. Response clarity: could the reviewer locate the evidence for each evaluation topic?
4. Delivery feasibility: did staffing and schedule support the commitments?
5. Pricing assumptions: did the estimate reflect the actual scope and obligations?
6. Submission control: were the current amendments, deadline, format and submission instructions followed?
7. Learning record: what specific feedback is available, and what remains unknown?

A fictional review

A firm loses after spending 70 proposal hours. Its team assumes the price was too high. The available feedback instead identifies weak delivery evidence. The useful next step is to improve that evidence and reassess future opportunity fit—not automatically cut the price. If no feedback is available, keep price as a hypothesis rather than a fact.

Try this

For your last pursuit, write one confirmed finding, one unresolved question and one change to test next time. Separate those from general frustration or speculation.