Go/No-Go Decision

What is a go/no-go decision?

A go/no-go decision determines whether a company should invest further in a pursuit. A bid/no-bid decision specifically authorizes or declines proposal effort. Both should identify the evidence, decision-maker, resource commitment, and any conditions. The decision is useful only when the team knows what happens next.

Why it matters

Proposal time is limited. A pursuit can look attractive while depending on missing credentials, unavailable staff, or an unconfirmed partner. A clear decision process exposes those gaps before the company commits the full proposal budget. It also gives reviewers a record of why they continued or stopped.

How to run the decision

Check mandatory requirements first. Review eligibility, required capabilities, delivery constraints, response timing, and access to the necessary resources. An attractive weighted score cannot compensate for a failed mandatory requirement. Distinguish a confirmed gap from information the team has not yet verified.

Then assess competitiveness and the cost of pursuing the work. Use evidence about the customer, relevant performance, proposed solution, and financial assumptions. Record the authorized decision and next review point. A scorecard supports judgment; it does not approve spending or create a contractual commitment.

Worked example

An illustrative contractor needs a partner's staff for two locations. Leadership authorizes eight hours of research while the capture lead confirms availability. The approval names the owner, the evidence required, and a deadline. It does not authorize the full proposal effort.

If the partner confirms the commitment, the team returns for the next decision. If the deadline passes without evidence, the owner escalates the unresolved condition. A conditional approval should not quietly turn into unrestricted permission to continue spending.

Common mistakes

Avoid averaging away mandatory failures. Do not assign every unknown a favorable score simply to complete the form. Keep the approval separate from the preparer's recommendation. Reopen the decision when amendments change the scope, delivery plan, price assumptions, or required resources.

Review declined pursuits as well as submitted bids. The reasons for stopping can reveal whether discovery is finding suitable work and whether the same capability gaps repeatedly appear. Use that learning to improve future qualification.

References and next steps

Use the bid/no-bid decision framework for a scorecard and decision record. Our capture management guide explains how these decisions fit the wider pursuit process. Keep the approved action visible in the pipeline.