Key takeaways
- Read the key personnel requirements in the PWS and Section M first, then recruit to them.
- Use written letters of intent or contingent offers so commitments are clear on both sides.
- Plan for retention between submission and award, which can take months.
In many federal solicitations, key personnel are evaluated directly. Their résumés, clearances and certifications can become strengths, or weaknesses, that move your technical rating. Contractors who wait until the final week to find a program manager usually end up with a weak résumé or a candidate who disappears before award.
Start with the requirement, not the résumé
Map every key personnel requirement: labor category minimums, degrees and substitutions, certifications, clearance and polygraph, and any experience on similar programs. Then check Section M to understand how key personnel will be evaluated. That map becomes your recruiting scorecard and later your compliance checklist entry.
Contingent hires vs. current employees
Naming current employees is simplest, but many small businesses do not have the bench for every key role. A contingent hire is a candidate who agrees to join if you win. Contingent candidates are common and acceptable, but evaluators look for evidence of real commitment.
Letters of intent and contingent offers
A signed letter of intent or contingent offer states the role, the general compensation terms, and that employment is contingent on award. Some solicitations require letters of commitment for key personnel. Even when they do not, having one reduces the chance your candidate accepts another offer before award.
Write résumés to the evaluation criteria
- Lead with the qualifications the solicitation asks for, in the same order.
- Quantify relevant experience: team size, budgets, systems and outcomes.
- State clearance level and certifications exactly as required.
- Stay within page limits and the required format.
Avoid substitution problems
Many contracts include key personnel clauses that limit substitutions, especially early in performance. Proposing people you cannot deliver can create performance and compliance issues. Only name candidates who have genuinely committed.
Keep candidates warm until award
Awards can take months. Check in regularly, share timeline updates, and be honest if the schedule slips. When the award comes, move quickly from contingent offer to start date.
Where a recruiting partner helps
Our cleared recruitment team works alongside our proposal writers, so key personnel are sourced against the evaluation criteria and their résumés are written to score. See a related key personnel case study.
Need cleared talent for a contract or proposal?
Secret to TS/SCI candidates, key personnel and contingent hires. Typical shortlist in 1 to 2 weeks for common roles.