The client managed a substantial portfolio of $100 million+ contracts within the healthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid sectors. Additionally, they had acquired a major business with strong research and development (R&D) expertise and a proven track record of securing high-value contracts. However, there was a lack of coordination between the client’s Accounts, Proposal Development, and Business Development teams, which meant they were unable to identify the eligible and best-fit contracts that could fetch the maximum points.

The client also lacked key industry certifications, credentials, and security clearances, resulting in an insufficient score to meet the threshold for an award under the unrestricted category. The RFP had already been published, leaving no time to plan for securing any additional credentials or undergoing audits. Moreover, due to its organizational strategy, the client chose not to engage with small business subcontractors, leading to the loss of critical points under the socio-economic utilization criteria.

Furthermore, since the credentials of a teaming partner were not factored into the evaluation process, introducing a subcontractor at this stage was not a viable solution. Faced with these challenges, the client began reconsidering its decision to bid on OASIS+ altogether.

Our client came to us when the RFP was in the solicitation stage, requesting eligibility evaluation, capture management, and proposal development services. To begin with, we held several meetings with our client that involved strategic assessment, identification, and mapping of the best combination of qualified contracts. After those meetings, we developed a comprehensive proposal development plan with a single goal: winning one of the contracts for our client in this multiple-award solicitation. Our proposal roadmap consisted of the following components:

1. Phase 0 – Eligibility Assessment (Qualification)

We assessed whether the client met the minimum scoring threshold based on evaluation criteria such as the size, relevancy, and scalability of past contracts in applicable service domains. Additionally, we verified their compliance with socioeconomic qualifications (which they could not meet as a large business), regulatory requirements, and any necessary industry credentials. A preliminary eligibility assessment helped identify potential weaknesses, and we realized that the client was lacking the necessary score. However, the client’s trust in the “Brand GDIC” gave us the confidence to proceed, developing a strategy to make this pursuit successful.

2. Phase I – Collect & Verify Evidence for the Target Score

We extracted a complete list of their federal awards from the FPDS portal and filtered a list of the 20 best contracts that met the criteria of size, relevancy, and annual contract values. For each of these contracts, we assessed their scope of work for domain relevancy, capturing the distinct labor categories, FTE count, and potential verbiage for surge support to strengthen the scalability factor. We fetched government spending data to identify contracts that had “unplanned” surge in expenditures, which could bring extra points. We also drilled down into account data to find any indications of surge requests.
We leveraged our proprietary AI tool, extensively trained for OASIS+, and uploaded the client’s contract details. The tool generated the best combination of qualified contracts, resulting in a target score of 42, exactly meeting the threshold for the R&D and M&A domains under the unrestricted category.
We collaborated with the client to collect contract documentation and billing data, and cross-verified the details against the available artifacts. Our Quality Assurance (QA) Team verified the artifacts to ensure there were no surprises.

3. Phase II – Proposal Package Development

In this phase, we tagged, highlighted, and cross-referenced the artifacts for the shortlisted Qualified Projects (QPs) under OASIS+ to ensure clarity, accuracy, and compliance with GSA’s evaluation criteria. The OASIS+ scoring system on the Symphony Portal required bidders to provide clear and verifiable evidence supporting their qualifications, past performance, and technical capabilities. Proper tagging and highlighting were essential to help evaluators quickly locate and validate key information within large volumes of documentation, reducing the risk of missing critical details.
For each evaluation factor, we cross-referenced artifacts across multiple sections of the proposal to ensure consistency and demonstrate alignment with the specific scoring requirements. Our approach minimized ambiguity, strengthened the credibility of claims, and improved the likelihood of earning maximum points in the evaluation process.
Though pricing was not scored, reasonableness was a requirement. We advised on and cross-verified the proposed price, comparing the rates against benchmarks such as Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data and prevailing market rates.
Our QA Team conducted PINK, RED, and GOLD reviews to ensure the proposal package was compliant and achieved the target score. Given that the client was exactly meeting the minimum threshold for the OASIS+ UNR category under the M&A and R&D domains, our well-organized approach ensured the company did not lose any points, thereby enhancing the chances of meeting the threshold for contract award.

4. Phase III – Proposal Upload & Post-Upload QA

Due to the sensitive nature of the artifacts, the client opted to upload the proposal artifacts independently. To facilitate a seamless and accurate submission, GDIC provided a comprehensive checklist that included detailed artifact mapping, standardized naming conventions, appropriate tags, and a structured order. Our team collaborated via Microsoft Teams, using shared-screen coordination to guide the client through the upload process.
Maintaining an error-free, well-structured, and fully compliant submission was critical to prevent disqualifications or scoring penalties, thereby maximizing the client’s evaluation success. GDIC’s QA Team conducted a final compliance review of the uploaded data in the Symphony Portal, ensuring that all artifacts were accurately uploaded, properly tagged, and correctly cross-referenced.

5. Post-Submission Services

Following the client’s proposal submission, GDIC provided ongoing support throughout the evaluation process, assisting in responding to inquiries from the contracting officer. We facilitated the client’s acknowledgment of new amendments, requests for proposal validity extensions, and adjustments to contractual terms as required. Our team collaborated via Microsoft Teams to efficiently upload clarifications, submit requested artifacts, and process signed amendments.
As the government announced contract awardees in multiple phases, our client was successful in both proposed domains—M&A and R&D—among those selected.
GDIC concluded this several-month engagement by conducting a comprehensive review, capturing lessons learned, and identifying strategic insights to enhance the success of future proposals.