3-5 firms get shortlisted. Yours needs to be one of them.
In QBS procurement, price is excluded. Committees score qualifications, experience, and project understanding. Brand systems, capability statements, and proposal templates determine whether a firm makes the shortlist or gets filtered at the document review.
Under the Brooks Act and 46 state mini-Brooks Acts, engineering procurements evaluate qualifications first. Price is excluded. Committees shortlist 3-5 firms for interviews after a document-only review. [ACEC Research Institute] Smaller firms routinely submit stronger technical solutions with weaker presentation. The 200-person competitor has a proposal team, a brand guide, and polished templates.
960+
hours per year spent on proposals by the average AEC firm.
OpenAsset & SMPS '24
Firms are being more selective about pursuits, and the ones that win are presenting sharper materials to fewer, better-fit opportunities. Getting on approved vendor lists requires capability statements, insurance documentation, and a web presence that passes basic scrutiny. Outdated or missing materials slow the process or disqualify the firm entirely. COI compliance errors remain the #1 rejection reason on platforms like ISNetworld and Avetta.
Capabilities
Brand Systems & Identity
Logo, color palette, typography, and usage guidelines. Consistent presentation across every touchpoint, from proposals to LinkedIn. Organized file package with all formats ready for immediate use.
Capability Statements
Structured for QBS evaluation committees, where qualifications are scored and price is excluded. Under the Brooks Act and 46 state mini-Brooks Acts, these documents are the first filter. Designed for the shortlist, not the recycling bin.
Proposal Templates
Editable templates that seller-doers populate without design help. Swap text, export, send. AEC firms spend 960+ hours per year on proposals. [OpenAsset '24] Templates cut rework and keep every submission at the same standard.
Technical Illustration
Process flows, system maps, and exploded views. Technically accurate: reviewed by engineers, not just designers. Evaluators score project understanding at 15-25% of total weight. Clear visuals strengthen that section.
3D Technical Animations
Equipment and process visualizations that explain complex systems in seconds. Useful in proposals, shortlist interviews, and on the growth platform.
Process
Audit
Review current materials against QBS scoring criteria: team qualifications, project understanding, and specialized experience carry 15-25% weight each. Document gaps, inconsistencies, and missing assets that cost points before the interview. Proposal volume dropped 38% last year, but the value of awarded work grew 52% and the median win rate held at 50%. [Deltek Clarity '25] Selectivity pays.
Strategy
Define brand system, positioning, and visual language. Align messaging to how the firm actually wins work. Decisions made together. Nothing ships without approval.
Create
Design and produce all assets. Technical accuracy reviewed with the team. Iterative review cycles until every deliverable meets procurement standards.
Deliver
Organized file package, editable templates, brand guide. Training on how to update and maintain the system. 89% of firms use seller-doers. [SMPS '24] These assets are built for them.
A Technical Conversation About Your Pipeline
30 minutes, no pitch deck. Bring a current challenge — a bid you’re pursuing, a proposal that needs work, a website that doesn’t reflect your capabilities.