Your Business Needs a Capability Statement: The One-Page CV That Wins Tenders and Contracts
Job seekers know they need a good CV. Businesses apply for work too, and the ones without a strong profile keep losing contracts they never even hear about.
Everyone looking for a job knows how important it is to have a CV. Along with the application letter, every employer asks each applicant to submit a CV, because it lets the employer get to know the applicant well before ever meeting them face to face. Your business needs the same thing: a capability statement, a short "CV" for your company that sells it to the people who give out work.
Through your CV, an employer learns the important facts about you: your education, your skills, your work experience and more. That is why smart people invest time and money to make sure they have a CV that sells them well. Businesses and companies are no different. They also "apply for jobs".
The opportunity: by August 2026, more than 397,000 procurement proceedings worth about TZS 40.4 trillion had gone through NeST, Tanzania's national e-procurement system, according to PPRA. 27,946 special groups (women, youth, the elderly and persons with disabilities) had registered and won contracts worth over TZS 56 billion.
Businesses Also Apply for Work
Sometimes a business applies for work because it has spotted an opportunity with the government, another institution or even a private individual. At other times a tender is advertised, and businesses and companies enter a competition in which each one aims to win.
Unfortunately, many businesses and companies don't see the importance of having a good profile that helps them sell themselves to those who give out work. As a result, many private businesses and some companies fail to get enough work and end up in a slump that never seems to end. Investing in a good business profile is an important step for the survival and growth of your business.
What Is a Capability Statement?
A capability statement is a one-page summary of your business, written for a buyer. In under a minute it answers five questions every procurement officer has: Who are you? What can you do for me? Have you done it before? Why you and not the next supplier? Can I legally contract with you, and how do I reach you?
| Document | Length | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Capability statement | 1 page | A buyer deciding quickly whether you are worth considering |
| Company profile | 6 to 20 pages | An evaluation team checking you in detail (staff, equipment, finances, full project list) |
| Brochure or flyer | 1 to 4 pages | The general public: promotional, not what procurement officers want |
Many small businesses send a colourful flyer full of slogans ("We are the best! Quality is our priority!") when the buyer wanted facts. The buyer learns nothing they can use, and the flyer goes in the bin.
What to Put in Your Capability Statement: 8 Sections
- Header: logo, legal company name, a one-line description of what you do, and a named contact person with phone, email and website.
- Company overview: 3 to 4 sentences on who you are, since when, who you serve and your strongest proof.
- Core competencies: 4 to 7 specific services, in the buyer's words. "Daily cleaning of hospital wards", not just "cleaning".
- Past performance: 3 to 5 relevant contracts with the client, what you did, the year and the result.
- Differentiators: 3 to 5 provable reasons to choose you, such as response time, qualified staff or your own equipment. "Quality" and "competitive prices" don't count; every supplier says that.
- Company data: BRELA registration number, TIN, licences, sector registrations, NeST registration, year founded, staff numbers.
- Key people, equipment and certifications: short facts that prove you can deliver.
- Call to action: one line inviting the next step, with your contact again.
5 Mistakes That Cost Businesses Contracts
- "We do everything". A long list of unrelated services (construction, cleaning, ICT, catering, stationery) tells a buyer you specialise in nothing. Focus wins.
- Claims without evidence. "We have served many satisfied clients" means nothing. Name the client, the year and the result.
- Hidden compliance details. If a buyer can't quickly see your registration, TIN and licence, they assume you don't have them.
- Five crowded pages. Buyers scan. Keep it to one clean page and send it as a PDF.
- Inventing experience. Buyers check references. One false claim can disqualify your bid and, in public procurement, lead to debarment.
Tendering in Tanzania: NeST and the 30% for Special Groups
Public procurement in Tanzania is governed by the Public Procurement Act, 2023, which came into force on 17 June 2024. Public bodies must now buy through NeST, the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania, so a business that wants government tenders must register there and keep its documents current: BRELA certificate, TIN, tax clearance, business licence and any sector registration.
The law also requires procuring entities to reserve a share of their procurement (30%, according to PPRA) for special groups: women, youth, the elderly and persons with disabilities. A registered special group can win a single contract of up to TZS 500 million. If your business qualifies, say so on your capability statement.
How to Write Yours This Week
- Day 1: list every job you have done since you started: client, scope, value, dates, contact person, result.
- Day 2: pick your 4 to 7 strongest services and ask your two best clients why they keep using you. Their answers are your differentiators.
- Day 3: collect your registration numbers and check expiry dates of your tax clearance and licences.
- Day 4: write the one page, with the overview last. Ask two people to proofread it.
- Day 5: save it as a PDF and send it to five organisations that buy what you sell, with a short introduction email.
Tip: keep a master version and make a tailored copy for each important tender. Put the services that buyer needs first, using the words in their tender, and swap in your most similar past contracts. It takes about 15 minutes.
📘 Capability Statement Kit: Win More Tenders and Contracts
Want to do it yourself, step by step? Our new kit includes a 32-page guide with a full before-and-after example, plus ready-to-use tools:
- Capability Statement template (Word, one page)
- Company Profile template (Word, 10 sections)
- Past Performance Record and NeST Tender Document Checklist (Word)
- Buyer introduction email and letter templates (Word)
- Tender Pipeline Tracker with formulas (Excel)
👉 Get the Capability Statement Kit ($15)
Kiswahili edition: Wasifu wa Uwezo wa Biashara. Prefer us to write it for you? Wellbiz Solutions prepares capability statements, company profiles and tender documents. Call or WhatsApp +255 754 281 131 / +255 655 281 131
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a capability statement?
It is a one-page document that summarises who your business is, what it does, what it has already delivered and how to contact it. Buyers use it to decide quickly whether to consider you for a contract or a supplier list.
What is the difference between a capability statement and a company profile?
A capability statement is one page and is used to get attention. A company profile is longer (usually 6 to 20 pages) and gives evaluators full details on management, staff, equipment, finances and all past projects.
What if my business is new and has no past contracts?
Use the experience of your directors and staff, small jobs and RFQs, sub-contracts with larger firms, pilot jobs and joint ventures. Get a reference letter after every job. Never invent experience.
Do I need to register on NeST to win government tenders in Tanzania?
Yes. Public bodies in Tanzania now run their procurement through NeST, so you must register as a tenderer and keep your documents (BRELA certificate, TIN, tax clearance, licences) current on your profile.
Final Word
Your business applies for work just like a job seeker does. A good capability statement is an investment in the survival and growth of your business: it puts your company where buyers and partners can see it clearly, and it stops you from losing contracts you never even hear about.
Need help? At a very affordable cost, Wellbiz Solutions will prepare a capability statement and company profile that put your business in a strong position with your stakeholders. Call or WhatsApp: +255 754 281 131 / +255 655 281 131
Know a business owner who keeps missing out on tenders? Share this article with them.
Sources: PPRA, "PPRA targets three million job opportunities through NeST" (August 2026); PPRA, "PPRA tells special groups how to seek tender opportunities under preference scheme"; PPRA, "New public procurement law to take effect on June 17, 2024"; PPRA news on penalties for procuring outside NeST. Adapted from an original Kiswahili article by Juma Killaghai.
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