What is a capability statement?

A one-page document that tells a government buyer what your company does, what it has done, why you, and your registration data (UEI, CAGE, NAICS codes, certifications) so the buyer can find and use you. Contracting officers and small-business specialists ask for it by name.

How long should a capability statement be?

One page. Buyers expect one page and stop reading at page two. Put the detail in your past-performance list, not on the sheet.

What is the difference between a UEI and a CAGE code?

The Unique Entity ID is the 12-character ID SAM.gov assigns when you register; the CAGE code is the 5-character code the Defense Logistics Agency assigns to the same registration. Both go on the capability statement.

Do I need past performance to write one?

No. List commercial, state or subcontract work and say what it was. A buyer would rather see three honest jobs than an empty section.

Guide

Capability statement example: the five blocks, on one page

What a contracting officer looks for, block by block, with a full fictional example and the layout rules that keep it to one page. 2026.

The short answer

A capability statement is a one-page PDF that tells a government buyer who you are, what you do, what you have done, and how to find you in the system. It has five blocks: core competencies, past performance, differentiators, company data (UEI, CAGE, NAICS codes, certifications) and contact details. Contracting officers and small-business specialists ask for it by name, and they expect one page. Below is each block, a full example, and the mistakes that get it deleted.

The five blocks, in the order buyers read them

1. Core competencies

Four to eight bullets of what you actually deliver, written as services a buyer could put on a purchase order (“nightly janitorial for offices and clinics”, not “facility solutions”). Lead with the work you want more of. Use the words the agency uses in its solicitations; buyers search PDFs.

2. Past performance

Three to five contracts or jobs, newest first: the customer, what you did, the dollar value or size, and the dates. Commercial and state work counts when you have no federal past performance yet; say what it was and let the buyer judge. A point of contact per entry is a plus if the customer agrees.

3. Differentiators

Three bullets on why you, each one a fact: response time, a certification, a location next to the installation, a clean safety record, owned equipment. Not “we care about quality.” If a bullet could be on a competitor’s sheet, cut it.

4. Company data

This is the block a buyer scans to see if you can be paid and set aside for: legal name and DBA, Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov, CAGE code, primary and secondary NAICS codes with the small-business size standard you fit, socio-economic certifications (SDVOSB, WOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, state DBE), SAM registration status and expiry, GSA schedule or contract vehicles if any, bonding capacity for construction, and accepted payment (government purchase card is a plus for buys under the micro-purchase threshold).

5. Contact

One named person, a direct phone, an email on your own domain, the address, the website. Put it in the header or footer so it is on every copy.

Example company data block (fictional)

Northfield Facility Services LLC

UEI: ABC123DEF456 · CAGE: 1AB23 NAICS: 561720 Janitorial Services (primary); 561210 Facilities Support Services; 561790 Other Services to Buildings Size: small business under all listed NAICS (SBA size standard) Certifications: Ohio EDGE; SDVOSB (SBA VetCert, verified 2026) SAM.gov: active, expires 03/2027 · Accepts government purchase card Bonding: $500,000 single / $1,000,000 aggregate Contact: J. Rivera, Owner · (513) 555-0142 · jrivera@northfieldfs.example · Hamilton, OH

The whole one-pager for this made-up company, laid out and labelled as a sample, is on the sample page and as a PDF. The 12-line checklist of what buyers look for is free by email on the home page.

Layout rules that matter

One page. A second page is where buyers stop reading. If it does not fit, the competencies are too long.
Logo top left, “Capability Statement” as the title, company data in a column or band so a reader can find the UEI in two seconds.
PDF, under 1 MB, named clearly: “Northfield-Capability-Statement-2026.pdf”. It gets forwarded; the file name is your label.
Dated. Put the month and year in the footer and refresh it when a certification or contract changes.
Readable in black and white. Buyers print them.

Mistakes that get it deleted

No UEI or CAGE on the page (the buyer cannot look you up and moves on).
NAICS codes you are not registered under in SAM.gov.
A mission statement instead of competencies.
Claims with no customer or number behind them.
Two pages, or one page in 8-point type.

Where to send it

To the agency’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) or small-business specialist, with contracting officers when you respond to a sources-sought notice on SAM.gov, at matchmaking events, and to prime contractors’ supplier-diversity teams. Attach it to every capability email; many buyers keep a folder of them for when a requirement comes up.

If you would rather we laid it out

Fill in a form with your competencies, past work and the registration details from SAM.gov. We write and lay out the one-page PDF in your branding, back in 1 day, with one round of changes. $59, or $79 with a second version aimed at prime contractors. Nothing is invented: every line comes from what you tell us.

Sources: SAM.gov entity registration pages (UEI, CAGE, NAICS) and the capability statement guidance published by APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs) and agency OSDBU offices, read 15 October 2026. Not affiliated with SAM.gov, GSA or any agency.

Questions

What is a capability statement?: A one-page document that tells a government buyer what your company does, what it has done, why you, and your registration data (UEI, CAGE, NAICS codes, certifications) so the buyer can find and use you. Contracting officers and small-business specialists ask for it by name.
How long should a capability statement be?: One page. Buyers expect one page and stop reading at page two. Put the detail in your past-performance list, not on the sheet.
What is the difference between a UEI and a CAGE code?: The Unique Entity ID is the 12-character ID SAM.gov assigns when you register; the CAGE code is the 5-character code the Defense Logistics Agency assigns to the same registration. Both go on the capability statement.
Do I need past performance to write one?: No. List commercial, state or subcontract work and say what it was. A buyer would rather see three honest jobs than an empty section.

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