Why Context Matters: AI Is Supercharging Capture

In capture, speed helps — but context wins.

In capture, speed helps — but context wins. Too often, teams rely on generic tools that generate text quickly but fail to grasp the nuance that federal and SLED evaluators expect. The difference between a promising opportunity and a missed one? It often comes down to whether your tools remember what’s worked, what’s changed, and who you’re up against.

Capture Strategy Demands More Than Speed

AI has made proposal writing faster — but for capture professionals in GovCon and SLED, speed alone isn’t the game-changer. Success hinges on context:

  • Knowing what the agency has awarded before
  • Understanding their preferences and procurement patterns
  • Anticipating requirements that aren’t even written yet

Generic drafting tools can’t offer that. You need systems that shape opportunity strategy, not just summarize solicitations. Context-rich AI doesn’t just help you write faster — it helps you prioritize smarter, position better, and win more.

“Capture planning is 80% research and 20% writing — you’re not just chasing bids, you’re anticipating what evaluators are likely to want. McCarren’s AI has been invaluable in helping us research and, consequently, win.” — Top 10 Federal Contractor

Public AI Doesn’t Know Your Playbook

Tools like ChatGPT or Claude are trained to talk — not to win federal work. They:

  • Lack memory of your past wins
  • Can’t access your proposal library or win themes
  • Don’t understand FAR, Section L&M, or compliance structure
  • Often hallucinate content that sounds confident but is factually wrong

That’s a problem when one error can lose the contract.

Proposal professionals need AI that acts as a contextual teammate — not a blank-slate writing bot.

“You risk crafting a response that’s fluent but totally divorced from the agency’s procurement logic.” — NCMA commentary on Generative AI in Capture Planning

Purpose-Built AI Remembers What Matters

Context-aware platforms like McCarren bring institutional memory into every capture plan.

With capabilities like:

  • Pulling boilerplate from past wins
  • Linking incumbents to opportunity themes
  • Building smart outlines aligned to your workflows

Plus, features like:

  • Enhanced Capture with Deep Research
  • Auto-generated compliance matrices
  • Traceable citations
  • Secure, private AI environments

Pre-RFP Engagement Starts with AI Context

The best capture work starts long before the RFP drops. Contextual AI helps:

  • Identify early signals in Sources Sought and RFIs
  • Map teaming partners based on past collaboration
  • Track shifts in agency behavior or budget priorities
  • Pre-draft boilerplate content tailored to expected asks

This improves:

  • Bid/no-bid decisions
  • Proposal output
  • Response timelines

When AI operates in a secure, company-specific environment, it becomes a force multiplier — not a risk.

McCarren’s AI-powered capture agents look beyond simple keywords and NAICS, diving deep into RFx content to uncover hidden solicitations before they're missed.

Want to Win Smarter? Start with Context

Capture isn’t about guessing — it’s about knowing. That means tools trained on:

  • Your language
  • Your wins
  • Your workflows

Context-rich AI such as McCarren helps you act faster, draft smarter, and engage earlier

McCarren helps teams supercharge capture with automation that understands both federal procurement and your internal knowledge.

👉 Want to automate without compromise? Explore McCarren.

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