CMP Strategic Planning & Vision 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST defines a 'Black Hat' review in capture management?
- An internal compliance audit of the proposal
- A red team that emulates competitor thinking to assess your vulnerabilities (Correct answer)
- A customer site visit to validate technical requirements
- A final pricing review before submission
Correct answer: A red team that emulates competitor thinking to assess your vulnerabilities
A Black Hat review has team members role-play as competitors to identify how rivals might counter your strategy and expose weaknesses.
Question 2: When building a strategic capture plan, stakeholder mapping is performed primarily to:
- Determine the legal structure of the contract vehicle
- Identify key influencers, decision-makers, and their priorities to tailor engagement (Correct answer)
- Allocate internal headcount for proposal writing
- Establish subcontractor teaming agreements
Correct answer: Identify key influencers, decision-makers, and their priorities to tailor engagement
Stakeholder mapping identifies who influences the buying decision and what matters to them, enabling targeted relationship-building strategies.
Question 3: A Bid/No-Bid decision framework is BEST used at which stage of the capture lifecycle?
- After final proposal submission
- Early in the opportunity identification and qualification phase (Correct answer)
- During contract negotiation
- Following a post-award debrief
Correct answer: Early in the opportunity identification and qualification phase
Bid/No-Bid analysis should occur early—during opportunity identification—to avoid wasting resources on poorly qualified pursuits.
Question 4: Which factor is MOST critical when evaluating whether a new opportunity fits the company's strategic vision?
- The proximity of the customer's office to headquarters
- Whether the opportunity leverages core competencies and advances market positioning (Correct answer)
- The number of competitors expected to bid
- Whether the RFP has been publicly posted
Correct answer: Whether the opportunity leverages core competencies and advances market positioning
Strategic fit requires that the opportunity builds on existing strengths and supports the company's long-term market goals, not just short-term revenue.
Question 5: A 'positioning strategy' in capture management refers to:
- Determining where to place the company logo on the proposal cover
- How you differentiate your offering in the customer's mind relative to competitors (Correct answer)
- Selecting which office location will perform the work
- Setting the internal budget for proposal development
Correct answer: How you differentiate your offering in the customer's mind relative to competitors
Positioning defines how your solution is perceived by the customer compared to alternatives, forming the foundation of the win strategy.
Question 6: Which strategic concept describes allocating more capture resources to opportunities with higher probability of win and higher strategic value?
- Pipeline flattening
- Portfolio prioritization (Correct answer)
- Bid leveling
- Requirement normalization
Correct answer: Portfolio prioritization
Portfolio prioritization ensures capture investments are concentrated on opportunities that balance win probability with strategic and financial value.
Question 7: The concept of 'customer intimacy' in strategic capture planning means:
- Accessing the customer's proprietary documents through informal channels
- Developing deep knowledge of the customer's mission, pain points, and decision culture (Correct answer)
- Assigning a dedicated account manager at award
- Attending all public industry days
Correct answer: Developing deep knowledge of the customer's mission, pain points, and decision culture
Customer intimacy is built through sustained relationship development that gives the capture team superior insight into the customer's priorities and decision-making.
CMP Strategic Planning & Vision 3
Which of the following BEST defines a 'Black Hat' review in capture management?