Qualification
If qualification depends on who argues most forcefully, automation will accelerate the wrong pursuits. A usable model makes disagreement visible early and preserves the assumptions that should be tested after the bid.
- Can two leaders score the same opportunity independently and reach a similar bid/no-bid conclusion?
- Does the decision include proof coverage, delivery risk, capacity, incumbent position, and deal economics—not just revenue value?
- Is the reason for the decision recorded and compared with the eventual outcome?
Evidence
A folder full of old proposals is an archive, not a knowledge system. The score improves when the team can retrieve at the level of a requirement and understand whether the supporting evidence is safe for the present context.
- Does every reusable claim have a source, owner, approval state, scope, and review date?
- Can a contributor find the current answer without searching multiple drives, inboxes, and old proposals?
- Can the team distinguish an evidence gap from a drafting gap?
Workflow and review
Review becomes late and subjective when the workflow presents an unfinished document instead of a controlled set of decisions. Good gates reduce surprises: compliance can be checked before executive narrative, and commercial exceptions can be isolated before production.
- Does each requirement have one accountable owner, due date, status, and escalation path?
- Are SME requests bundled, contextualized, and limited to true gaps?
- Are compliance, technical, commercial, and executive reviews distinct gates with clear entry criteria?
Learning
Score each question zero for absent, one for inconsistent, and two for controlled. A total under 10 usually indicates foundational operating work. Between 10 and 18, focus on the weakest layer rather than replacing everything. Above 18, targeted automation may produce leverage because the process has stable decisions to automate.
- Does every pursuit update the library, scorecard, or workflow—not just the CRM outcome?
- Can leaders see which requirements repeatedly create gaps or late escalation?
- Are advancement, win/loss, effort, and qualification score reviewed together?