Federal contractors lose more time in the first 30 days from one issue than almost anything else: unconfirmed staffing.
Reviewers typically won’t approve your APP or QCP until SSHO, QC, and Superintendent roles are named. Subs can’t finalize AHAs without clarity on who’s doing what. And if key personnel aren’t committed, early approvals stall, sometimes for weeks.
One of the simplest ways to prevent that is also one of the most underused:
pre-award Letters of Intent (LOIs).
They take minutes to issue, and eliminate one of the biggest risks to mobilization: uncertainty around who is available, credentialed, and ready to start.
Used well, LOIs turn staffing from a last minute scramble into a documented pre award commitment reviewers can rely on.
The Simple Pre-Award Tool Federal Contractors Overlook: Letters of Intent
A Letter of Intent (LOI) is a short document confirming that a professional or subcontractor agrees to take on a specific role if the project is awarded. It isn’t a contract. It’s a commitment of availability, and many reviewers accept it as part of demonstrating that your team is real and ready, though it does not replace their review of resumes, certifications, and other requirements.
Contractors typically issue LOIs to:
- SSHO, QC, and Superintendent candidates
- Subcontractors involved in early definable features of work
- Specialists whose input is needed for APP/QCP/AHA development
- Vendors tied to early procurement or compliance steps
If someone affects your first 30 days, they should receive a LOI before award.
The goal is simple: by the time you submit your APP, QCP, and early AHAS, every critical name in those documents is already backed by a signed LOI.
Why LOIs Protect Your Mobilization Timeline
LOIs speed up mobilization because they eliminate the delays caused by unclear staffing.
Reviewers won’t approve your APP or QCP without confirmed SSHO, QC, and Superintendent roles, and subcontractors can’t finalize AHAs until those responsibilities are set. When those commitments aren’t in place, even a single hiring gap can push early approvals back by days.
Letters of intent prevent that by securing your key people before award, eliminating the most common early-point of failure.
Instead of waiting on resumes, phone calls, and internal approvals after award, you enter week 1 with committed personnel and documentation that can move immediately.
The Must-Have LOI Checklist That Eliminates Review Delays
Every LOI needs to give reviewers confidence that your key personnel are real, available, and qualified. It doesn’t need to be long, but it must be complete.
Here’s the minimum information a federal project LOI should include:
- Full name of the individual or subcontractor
- Project name and contract number
- Confirmed role (SSHO, QC, Superintendent, etc.)
- Statement of intent to serve if awarded
- Dates of confirmed availability
- Required certifications listed (EM 385, QC, CPR/First Aid, etc.)
- Signatures from both parties
- Contact details
When these details are clear, reviewers can move your documentation forward without unnecessary back-and-forth.
LOIs that miss role titles, dates, or certifications usually trigger clarifying questions, which is exactly the kind of avoidable back and forth that slows mobilization.
How GovGig Helps Federal Contractors Issue LOIs Faster and With the Right People
Most LOIs fall apart because contractors aren’t sure who is actually available or qualified for federal work. GovGig solves that by giving teams direct access to federal-ready SSHOs, QC Managers, Superintendents, and skilled trades who already meet the requirements that drive early approvals. When staffing is secured pre-award, LOIs become easy to issue and reviewers get the clarity they need to keep documents moving.
Contractors use GovGig to:
- Find credentialed SSHOs, QC Managers, Superintendents, and skilled trades
- Confirm availability windows before issuing LOIs
- Build a bench of pre-qualified professionals for recurring roles
- Centralize staffing and early mobilization tasks in one place
With the right personnel committed early, teams avoid the last-minute hiring gaps that stall APPs, QCPs, AHAs, and early submittals. This alone helps federal contractors mobilize weeks faster, simply because the staffing bottleneck is removed before award.
Expert tip: Contractors who sign up for GovGig by December 31st 2025 get free unlimited job postings through March 2026.
Ready to Strengthen Your Pre-Award Staffing?
LOIs are one of the fastest ways to accelerate mobilization, but they only work if you have qualified people ready to commit.
Get the free Mobilization Playbook and use the pre-award staffing and sequencing checklists federal contractors rely on to prevent early delays.
→ Download the Mobilization Playbook
Want to see how GovGig helps contractors lock in SSHOs, QC Managers, Superintendents, and skilled trades before award?
Request a demo and learn how teams are cutting 30+ days from mobilization with better staffing and early commitments.
→ Request a GovGig Demo
Letters of Intent FAQ
1. What is a Letter of Intent in federal construction?
A Letter of Intent is a short document confirming that a person or subcontractor agrees to take on a specific project role if awarded. Federal contractors use LOIs to show reviewers that key mobilization personnel are committed and available.
2. Why do LOIs matter for mobilization?
Mobilization slows down when SSHO, QC, or Superintendent roles aren’t confirmed early. LOIs eliminate that uncertainty, allowing APPs, QCPs, AHAs, and early approvals to move forward without delay.
3. Who should receive a Letter of Intent before award?
Anyone involved in the first 30 days of mobilization should have an LOI—especially SSHO, QC, Superintendent candidates, early-phase subcontractors, and specialists who contribute to APP/QCP/AHA development.
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