Full Sail Partners Blog | business development

Every year, the Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study gives architecture and engineering firms something concrete to work with: real data from real firms about what's working, what's stalling, and where the industry is heading. The 47th edition surveyed 896 firms of all sizes and types, and the throughline is clear. This isn't a market that rewards guessing or going through the motions. The firms pulling ahead are the ones making intentional, disciplined decisions at every level of the business.

Over the next few weeks, we're breaking down each section of the report. This week: Business Development.

More work, less reward

Here's the headline: firms submitted 32% more proposals in 2025 than they did the year before. That sounds like momentum. But the median capture rate fell 3.8 percentage points to 44.4% — the lowest it's been since 2019 and the sharpest single-year decline in the nine-year trend.

BD activity is rising, but converting pursuits to projects is becoming harder and more complex. The win rate data adds some nuance — the median slipped to 49% industrywide, but architecture firms were the outlier, actually gaining five points to 45%, likely reflecting tighter pursuit selection in a market where design-led work is more relationship-dependent. Almost nobody got easier wins this year.

Capture rate — the dollar value of proposals awarded relative to the dollar value submitted — makes the picture even clearer. Large firms dropped six points to 34%. Medium firms fell three points. The gap between the top quarter of firms (61.3%) and the bottom quarter (30.2%) is 31 percentage points — a spread that has less to do with market conditions and everything to do with how intentionally firms are choosing which work to chase.

High performers bucked the trend entirely, with their capture rate rising 10 percentage points to 59% while everyone else's fell. Same market, same headwinds, meaningfully better returns. The difference isn't luck or firm size or sector mix. It's the discipline to pursue less and win more.

Some of the decline reflects a market shift toward smaller-value projects — the total value of proposals submitted grew 12% while the number grew 32%, pointing to a lower average project value per pursuit. And a lot of it reflects what happens when more firms are chasing the same work in an increasingly crowded market.

The market itself is changing

It's not just that competition is stiffer — it's that the market opportunity itself is evolving.

Data centers debuted as a new category in this year's study and immediately claimed the top spot: 72% of firms expect to grow their position in that sector over the next 18 months. Energy and power held at 57%. These are sectors that barely registered a few years ago and are now driving significant optimism. Meanwhile, transportation dropped nine percentage points and hospitality continues its post-pandemic retreat. The firms best positioned for this environment aren't waiting for their traditional sectors to rebound — they're building credibility in new ones, which takes time, intentional relationship-building, and a clear-eyed view of where the firm can actually win.

Economic uncertainty compounds all of this. It debuted in this year's survey as a new BD challenge and immediately ranked as the top first-choice concern at 19%. The response isn't to slow down — it's to build a deeper pipeline and invest in positioning now rather than reacting when conditions shift.

Go/no-go decisions have never mattered more

Eighty percent of firms say they use a go/no-go process — but how they use it is shifting. Use for strategic opportunities only grew two percentage points to 32%, and use for all opportunities edged up to 38%. Among firms not yet using the process, 49% are now considering adoption, up from 29% the prior year. That's a meaningful signal.

A well-executed go/no-go process isn't a gate to slow things down. It's a filter that protects the firm's most valuable resource: pursuit capacity. As Daphne Bryant of ACEC put it in the report, it does more than filter opportunities — it aligns the firm's resources, expertise, and relationships with the pursuits that are truly winnable and worth winning.

The key word is data. Go/no-go decisions need to be driven by data-based questions — probability of winning, existing relationships, delivery capacity, fit for the work — not instinct or individual preferences. That's where a well-configured Deltek Vantagepoint environment earns its keep: relationship history, prior win/loss patterns, pipeline load, and delivery capacity all in one place. If your team is still making these decisions off a spreadsheet or a whiteboard, we should talk.

Pre-pursuit intelligence is a competitive edge — and AI is changing how firms build it

One of the most interesting data points in this section: lack of intel to position for a win dropped 15 percentage points — the steepest decline on the entire chart. Firms are getting smarter about the information available to them before they pursue, and AI-assisted tools are a big part of why — BD teams and principals are using them to surface opportunities earlier, qualify pursuits faster, find strategic partners and gather more context before committing resources.

But pre-positioning only works if the administrative burden is low enough to make room for it. That's where tools like Informer and Power BI, connected to Deltek Vantagepoint, pay off — surfacing win rates by sector, capture rate trends, and pursuit stage velocity in dashboards BD leaders can actually use day to day. We helped RTM Engineering Consultants build exactly this kind of visibility into their Vantagepoint environment — read how they did it. When your data is connected, your team spends less time hunting for answers and more time acting on them.

Formalizing the process (without making it rigid)

The share of firms with a formal BD process dipped three percentage points to 46% — worth examining but but not panicking over. As the seller/doer model expands and project managers take on more BD responsibility, a rigid step-by-step process often doesn't fit how the work gets done. The goal is practical frameworks — flexible enough to work across different markets and client types, consistent enough to create real pipeline visibility.

Vantagepoint has the infrastructure to support all of this — opportunity stages, pipeline reporting, relationship tracking, proposal history — but most firms are only using a fraction of it because the system wasn't configured with their specific workflow in mind. Full Sail Partners consultants work through exactly this with firms. Check out this demonstration on CRM in Vantagepoint to get the ideas flowing, then let's talk about building it around how your firm actually works.

The seller/doer model is thriving — and putting real pressure on project managers

The blended seller/doer model leads at 48%, and the seller/doer-only model holds second at 40%. Among high performers, seller/doer adoption rose nine percentage points to 55% — the clearest signal that top-performing firms are integrating BD responsibility into technical roles rather than siloing it. The reason is straightforward: clients want to talk to the people who will actually do the work.

But the model comes with real tension. Project managers edged down five percentage points to 14% "almost always responsible" for BD — a pullback that likely reflects what the industry already knows: the demands on PMs are often unrealistic. Cross-training for BD ranked third among top initiatives at 36%, up four points — a positive investment, but training alone doesn't solve a capacity problem.

The firms getting this right build structured time for BD into the PM role. And they invest in reducing friction in the tools. Project managers who can log a contact, update an opportunity stage, or check pipeline status inside the same system where they manage projects are far more likely to actually do it. If your PMs find BD tasks burdensome, that's often a workflow problem more than a motivation one. Our team can help.

The bottom line

The 2026 Clarity data on Business Development tells a consistent story: the environment rewards discipline, not volume. What separates high performers is a sharper, more intentional approach — to which pursuits they chase, how they position for them, and how they deploy the people responsible for bringing work in.

But discipline doesn't come from willpower alone. It comes from having the right data in front of the right people at the right time. That's what a well-configured Deltek Vantagepoint environment delivers — not just a system of record, but a foundation for smarter decisions across the entire BD lifecycle.

Full Sail Partners works with A/E/C firms at every stage — from first-time Vantagepoint implementations to established practices looking to get more out of a system they've had for years. We've seen the full picture, and we know where the gaps tend to show up. If you're ready to make your data work harder for your BD team, let's talk.

Next up in the series: Project Management. We'll dig into how firms are managing delivery pressure, what the data says about the most challenging phases of the project lifecycle, and where technology is creating the biggest opportunities.

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To help your firm address the evolving challenges in the architecture and engineering (A&E) industry, we’ve gathered key insights from the 45th Annual Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering Industry Study. This analysis of business development trends reveals the strategies successful project-based firms are using to navigate issues such as increased competition, project complexity, and talent acquisition hurdles. We'll also highlight the importance of adapting marketing strategies to the digital landscape, the benefits of strategic collaboration, and the growing role of technology in enhancing efficiency. By leveraging these insights, firms can position themselves for sustained growth and long-term success in a competitive market environment.

Optimistic Growth Forecasts

First, let’s start with the good news. The study reveals an encouraging trend, with firms projecting a net revenue growth of nearly 11% year-over-year. Despite the backdrop of shifting challenges, this growth signifies a positive outlook within the industry. However, achieving this growth comes with its own set of hurdles. One of the prominent challenges identified is the increasing competition within the A&E sector, fueled by globalization and the entry of new market players. With more firms vying for projects, differentiation becomes crucial for sustaining growth and profitability. Additionally, the study underscores the growing complexity of projects, driven by evolving client demands, regulatory requirements, and technological advancements. As projects become more intricate, firms must adapt their processes, workflows, and skill sets to deliver innovative solutions while meeting quality standards and deadlines. Moreover, talent acquisition and retention emerge as critical concerns for firms aiming to scale operations and expand market reach.

Adapting Marketing Strategies

A&E firms must adapt their strategies to fit an evolving digital landscape to keep up with consumer behavior. While traditional methods like print media and trade shows are still relevant, firms are increasingly focusing on digital marketing and content creation. They use thought leadership content to establish themselves as industry leaders and strategically leverage social media to engage clients and showcase their projects, enhancing their brand presence and generating leads.

This shift in marketing strategies underscores the importance of integrating traditional and digital approaches. Firms must be agile, continuously evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts and staying updated with the latest trends and tools. In doing so, they can ensure their marketing initiatives are not only relevant but also impactful in reaching their target audience.

Win Rates and Collaboration

Win rates for A&E firms remained stable year-over-year, with the overall capture rate experiencing a slight increase to 48.7%. These metrics underscore the importance of strategic networking and prospecting in securing new business opportunities. It’s important to note that the win rate measures the number of proposals submitted to the number of proposals awarded, capture rate measures the total dollar value of the proposals submitted compared to those awarded. Firms are increasingly focused on finding suitable teaming partners and leveraging their networks to source and close new projects. This emphasis on collaboration and relationship-building extends beyond traditional boundaries, as firms seek to form alliances with complementary service providers, subcontractors, and industry peers.

By expanding their network of collaborators, firms can access new markets, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and mitigate risks associated with project delivery. Furthermore, the study highlights the growing significance of client relationship management in driving business development success. With client expectations evolving rapidly and competition intensifying, firms must prioritize client satisfaction, retention, and loyalty to maintain a competitive edge in the market. This requires a proactive approach to understanding client needs, anticipating challenges, and delivering value-added services that exceed expectations.

Diversification Strategies

A notable trend identified in the study is the emphasis on diversifying project portfolios. While revenue from top clients grew, A&E firms are recognizing the importance of expanding their client base to reduce the risks associated with consolidated revenue across a few key clients. This diversification enhances resilience in the face of economic uncertainties, market fluctuations, and industry disruptions. It also enables firms to adapt to changing market dynamics, capitalize on emerging trends, and seize opportunities in more niche segments or emerging markets.

Harnessing Technology for Efficiency

As staffing challenges persist, A&E firms are turning to technology to enhance their efficiency. The Deltek Clarity study reveals that 46% of firms now utilize formal business development processes, with a slight uptick among small and large firms. This indicates a growing recognition of the importance of technology-driven solutions in navigating the competitive landscape.

With an 86% surge in awarded contracts driven primarily by large firms, there's a clear correlation between technology adoption and business success, particularly with AI. Despite this, there's a consensus among industry experts, including Megan Miller, CPSM, Director of Product Marketing at Deltek, that firms are only scratching the surface of AI's potential. While AI holds promise for streamlining marketing operations and enhancing BD outcomes, there's a pressing need for deeper exploration and integration of these technologies to unlock their full potential in the A&E industry.

Future Outlook and Recommendations

Looking ahead, project-based firms are advised to challenge themselves to be more selective in their pursuits, focusing on projects with the highest likelihood of success. The rise in proposal volume underscores the importance of refining go/no-go criteria and leveraging formal business development processes to prioritize opportunities effectively. Additionally, the study emphasizes the growing importance of content marketing and thought leadership in shaping firms' market positioning and visibility.

By addressing key challenges, leveraging technology, and adopting strategic initiatives, project-based firms can navigate growth opportunities and position themselves for long-term success in a competitive market environment. Need to hear more? Take a look at this year's Architecture & Engineering Industry Study now!