In the competitive world of construction, government contracting, and other project-based industries, winning larger bonded jobs requires firms demonstrate both the capacity to perform and the qualitative strengths to deliver a project to the owner.

One of the most effective tools for showcasing these strengths is a well-crafted capability statement.  This document is a strategic tool that communicates your core competencies, past accomplishments, innovative approach, quality of personnel, and unique value proposition.

The capability statement is also a great way to highlight your firm’s strengths to a surety to maintain support on bonded jobs.  Below is a brief rundown of the critical aspects that should be included in a capability statement that would be reviewed with your surety:

Core Competencies: Clarifying What You Do Best

Your capability statement should clearly define your core services or trades. A contractor who can precisely describe its scope, whether it’s site work, vertical construction, electrical, or specialty installations, instills confidence in project owners and sureties alike. They know exactly what you bring to the table and can evaluate your fit for complex scopes of work.

Surety underwriters pay close attention to this section: it shows that you understand your business and are focused on the types of work you can successfully deliver at scale.

Past Accomplishments: Proving Performance History

Qualitative assessments often start with your track record. Highlighting key projects, especially those with similar size, scope, or complexity, demonstrates your ability to perform on larger, bonded jobs.

A strong capability statement will include select projects that showcase not just completion but success: on-time delivery, budget management, and safety records. These accomplishments help sureties justify higher bonding limits and reassure owners that you can handle larger responsibilities.

Innovative Approach: Differentiating Your Firm

Innovation isn’t only for technology companies. Construction firms should showcase how they deliver projects better. Maybe it’s through lean construction practices, advanced scheduling software, prefabrication capabilities, or sustainable building techniques.

Let your surety know how you approach problems creatively to deliver superior outcomes. This qualitative measure is critical for public owners and primes who want partners that add value, not just fulfill specs. 

Quality of Personnel: Building Confidence in Your Team

Larger projects introduce greater risks, so sureties and owners want to know about your leadership, project management staff, and field supervision. Featuring credentials, licenses, certifications, and years of experience signals you have the bench strength to execute.

Highlighting your personnel quality demonstrates that you aren’t just a small, informal operation but a professional organization prepared to scale.

Unique Value Proposition: Answering “Why You?”

Just as you have sold a job to an owner, your surety should understand why your firm is the best fit. It might be your safety record, your specialty experience, local knowledge, cost efficiency, or a combination of these.  It’s the compelling reason you’ll deliver superior value, manage risk effectively, and complete the job successfully.

Why This Matters for Bonded Work

Sureties don’t just underwrite your financial strength, they evaluate the whole picture, including these qualitative factors. A firm with a strong balance sheet but no clear demonstration of capability, experience, or differentiation may struggle to secure increased bonding capacity.

On the other hand, a business that can tell its story well, showing financial stability and qualitative strengths, has a better shot at growing its bonding program. That, in turn, enables you to bid on larger, more lucrative projects.

Take the time and invest in how you communicate these facets not just to your owners but also your surety.