Past Performance

The Past Performance feature shows the requirement extracted from the solicitation, and the contracts you've matched to it. It allows you to store, manage, and reuse prior contract experience across proposals, strengthening proposal credibility and supporting compliance with solicitation requirements.

Past Performance records become available for proposal use when the related opportunity is marked as Outcome = Won. Marking an opportunity Won does not automatically create a Past Performance record. A Past Performance writeup or record must actually exist in your library for NextStage AI to recommend it, being Won only makes the opportunity eligible.

Past Performance is generated automatically as part of the Kickoff Package workflow, the fourth item built after the Compliance Matrix, Win Themes, and Key Personnel. NextStage AI matches your existing past performance records against the opportunity's evaluation criteria and recommends the strongest references for this proposal.

Past Performance recommendations are only as strong as the records in your library. Keep the following current, either before Kickoff Package runs or as an ongoing practice.

Access your organization's full library anytime via the Past Performance icon in the main left navigation menu, outside any specific proposal. This page shows all Past Performance records (137 rows, for example) with the same filters used in the Add Past Performance window (Partner Organization, Agency, Role, Partner, Status, Profile, Include Archived Contracts, Total Contract Value, Company Value), plus a search bar.

From this page you can:

Each row in the table shows Name, Start Date, End Date, Date Added, Agency, Profile (which Company Profile it belongs to), Role, Partner, Partner Organization, Contract Value, Workshare, Status (e.g., Completed), and actions to view or delete the record.

Note: marking an opportunity Won makes it eligible, it does not by itself create a usable Past Performance record. You still need to complete Steps 2 and 3 below so NextStage AI has actual content (contract data and a writeup) to match against and recommend.

In the Past Performance library, open the record and confirm the following fields are populated:

This information supports filtering, selection, and proposal generation.

You can choose one of the following:

Create New Past Performance Writeup Use the built-in editor to create and manage Past Performance narratives directly within NextStage.

Attach External Past Performance Writeup Attach existing content from SharePoint or upload files. This allows you to reuse CPARS reports, proposal writeups, or contract summaries.

This section shows what the RFP specifies for past performance references, under General Requirements. Some solicitations don't specify anything explicit here, for example, no requirements regarding relevant contract scope, complexity, technical domains, customer types, submission formatting, or documentation. Where the RFP is silent, this is noted directly.

Each requirement links to its Sources, which opens a window showing exactly what NextStage AI reviewed to reach that conclusion, for example, the specific document (Statement of Work, Instructions, etc.) and a quoted excerpt supporting the finding. Requirements can also be Edited. A Related requirements link shows how many Compliance Matrix requirements tie back to this section, expandable, with its own Edit option. If nothing has been linked yet, it will say "No related requirements yet. Use 'Edit' to relate compliance requirements to this."

NextStage AI automatically analyzes the RFP package and the records in your Past Performance library to recommend the strongest matches for this opportunity. This section shows the total reference count (e.g., "3 references") and a card for each recommendation. Each card includes:

You have three options for each recommendation:

Each card also has an external link icon to open the full contract record.

Review each recommended record against the opportunity's evaluation criteria to confirm it's one of your strongest, most relevant matches.

Click Add past performance at the top of the page to open the Add Past Performance window, which has three tabs:

Select Existing Contracts Pull a record in from your Past Performance library. Use the filters to narrow the list: Partner Organization, Agency, Role, Partner, Status, Profile, and an option to Include Archived Contracts, plus Total Contract Value and Company Value ranges. You can also search by name. Results show as a table (Name, Start Date, End Date, Date Added); check the box next to any record you want, then click Add Selected.

Upload Document Attach an external writeup, CPARS report, or contract summary.

Add New Build a new Past Performance record and writeup from scratch. Fields include:

Click Create to save, or Cancel to discard.

Once you're satisfied with the selected references, check the Reviewed box at the top of the page. Move to the next item (Technical Solution or Proposal Outline) by selecting it in the left-hand navigation panel.

Past Performance selections support:

A set of validated, relevant Past Performance references aligned to the opportunity's evaluation criteria, ready to support proposal development and draft generation.

Have a question not answered here? Use the chat bubble in the lower right corner of NextStage or email hello@nextstage.ai.