Color team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold)
Color team reviews are a sequence of structured proposal reviews, each named for a color and held at a set stage, from strategy before writing to a final check before submission. At each one, reviewers read as the evaluator would and judge one thing: the strategy, the outline, the complete draft or readiness to submit.
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01The usual sequence
Names and timing vary by company, but most use some version of:
| Review | When | What it judges |
|---|---|---|
| Blue team | Before writing starts | The capture strategy and win themes |
| Black hat | Before or early in writing | What the main competitors will likely propose, and how to counter it |
| Pink team | Outline, storyboards or early draft | Compliance, structure, and whether the themes are in the right places |
| Red team | Complete draft | A score against Section M or the stated criteria, and the weaknesses to fix |
| Gold team | Final proposal | Executive approval of content, price and risk; the decision to submit |
| White glove | Just before submission | Formatting, page counts, file names and required forms |
Some teams add a green team to review pricing.
02What makes a review useful
03Scaling it down
Small teams and short deadlines rarely support six reviews. A common minimum is one structure review once the outline exists, one scored review of the full draft and a final compliance check. The Shipley method, which popularized the color names, describes the full sequence.
Color team reviews: common questions
How many color team reviews does a proposal need?
As many as the schedule leaves time to act on. A small team can use one structure review, one scored review of the full draft and a final compliance check.
Who should sit on a red team?
People who did not write the sections, who understand the customer and the evaluation criteria, and who will score honestly. Outside reviewers are common on large bids.
What is the difference between a red team and a gold team?
A red team scores the complete draft as the evaluators would and lists the weaknesses to fix. A gold team is the executive review of the final proposal, price and risk that ends in the decision to submit.
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