The offer
Build your BD department—or embed one.
Your firm needs the capacity to choose the right markets, build relationships, pursue work, and follow through. The question is how to put that function around your technical team.
The decision
A person is not the whole function
Build internally
Recruiting an experienced Business Development Director can be a sound choice. The firm must also develop research, systems, positioning, proposal support, creative materials, and a way to maintain continuity when people change roles.
Embed BD-AEC
Bring an operating team into the firm. Scott leads the engagement, while integrated operations, intelligence, creative, digital, and pursuit support help turn growth priorities into consistent market activity.
Both paths require collaboration with principals and technical leaders. Embedding doesn't eliminate onboarding; we still learn your expertise, clients, culture, and standards. It gives that learning a team and a system to work through.
Read Build Your BD Department—or Embed One?What you get
The capacity around a director
One integrated department, with clear ownership of the work.
Lead
Set the direction and own the decisions that keep growth moving.
- Business development leadership
- Growth strategy
Find
See the right buyers and opportunities, then build access before and after the RFP.
- Market and opportunity intelligence
- Account and relationship development
Win
Make a firm easier to understand, remember, shortlist, and select.
- Positioning and storyline
- Capture strategy
- Proposal and SOQ strategy, writing, and production
- Creative materials
Operate
Give the work a consistent rhythm and make every next action visible.
- Digital market presence
- CRM, pipeline, and follow-up
Pursuit capacity
The deadline is not the starting line
Proposal and SOQ strategy, writing, and production are part of the work. Strong submissions depend on what a firm has built beforehand: case studies, project descriptions, resumes, capability statements, brochures, photography, a credible website, and other digital assets.
We develop these materials as reusable business development infrastructure. Each pursuit should leave the next one stronger, whether the firm wins or loses.
The working relationship
Inside your firm, with a team behind the work
BD-AEC works alongside principals and technical professionals. Your people bring the expertise clients buy; we create the structure that puts them into the right conversations and keeps the follow-up moving.
That's fractional business development with a complete function around it: senior leadership, scalable capacity, and a continuous loop of execution and learning.
Practical answers
Before we get started
What is an embedded business development department?
An embedded BD department is an outside team that works within your firm's business development process. BD-AEC brings leadership, market intelligence, strategy, positioning, creative support, relationships, proposals, and execution together around your growth priorities.
What does BD-AEC handle, and what stays with our firm?
We coordinate the agreed business development work, including research, outreach, follow-up, pursuit strategy, and proposal materials. Your principals and technical leaders contribute their expertise, client knowledge, and decisions. Your firm remains responsible for technical project delivery.
How does an engagement start?
We start with your goals, capabilities, clients, current pipeline, and delivery capacity. Together, we define the priorities and scope, identify the people who need to participate, and establish how work and decisions will be reviewed. Onboarding is part of the engagement.
How much does an embedded BD department cost?
The investment depends on your market, priorities, and the capacity your firm needs. We'll discuss those needs before recommending a scope. Compare the full scope of research, leadership, creative, and pursuit support when evaluating an embedded team against an internal hire.
Will BD-AEC work with a direct competitor?
We won't represent two firms in the same discipline, project type, and market. We'll discuss your firm's focus and the availability of that engagement during the discovery conversation.
Your next move
Find the right BD capacity for your firm.
Considering a hire, outside support, or a more coordinated approach? Tell us what’s missing. We’ll explore whether an embedded department fits.
Talk with Scott Mann
CEO | Strategic Partner
What happens next
Scott responds within one business day to arrange a conversation about your priorities and whether BD-AEC is a fit.
Start a conversation
This requests a conversation. Scott will follow up to find a time that works for you.