Published bamboo characterization studies often report physical, chemical and energy properties separately, although early material selection requires multiple criteria to be considered together. This study develops a literature-informed multi-criteria analytical approach for screening bamboo feedstocks for bioenergy and preliminary biocomposite applications. Literature evidence is used to justify criterion relevance, scoring direction and limitations, while numerical weights are treated as transparent application-priority assumptions. A four-species Malaysian dataset [1] is used as a worked case. The Bioenergy Suitability Index (BESI) combines calorific value, Klason lignin, specific gravity, ash content and K + Na, whereas the preliminary Biocomposite Suitability Index (BCSI-R) combines estimated cellulose, crystallinity index, Klason lignin, combined extractives and a pH target score. Robustness was tested across 19 scenarios per index, including equal weighting, application-priority scenarios, leave-one-criterion-out tests and ±20% weight perturbations. Bambusa vulgaris ranked first in all 19 scenarios for both indices, and rankings remained unchanged under all ±20% weight tests. External literature supported the relevance of the selected criteria while also revealing important system dependence, particularly for ash chemistry, crystallinity and bonding variables. BESI and BCSI-R are therefore screening-level decision-support tools intended to expose assumptions and prioritize subsequent experimental validation, not to predict application performance.