Marketing public sector entities (federal, state, county, city, etc) in the architectural, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry requires a specific understanding of the client type.  While a conversation and handshake may be enough to seal a contract for a private sector client, the intricacies for obtaining work from a public sector client require knowledge and understanding of the laws which define their contracting policies.  Written by veteran A/E/C marketing professional Bernie Siben, CPSM, A Horse of Different Color… Marketing in the Public Sector provides an excellent overview of the differences between public and private sector marketing.

As Mr. Siben states, “this is NOT a ‘how to’ book!”  His goal is to illustrate the dangers of entering this new marketplace for those who are seeking business from public entities for the first time.

Beginning with a discussion of the Brooks Act, the federal legislation that established the qualifications based selection (QBS) process as a standard for procurement of professional services at the federal level, Mr. Siben outlines how the act has been incorporated, interpreted, and challenged at different levels of government.  His inclusion of interviews and answers to questionnaires by procurement and marketing professionals from across the U.S. bolsters his argument that each public sector client must be thoroughly researched and understood before investing time and money to purse them.  Mr. Siben moves to a thorough discussion of the protected classes of firms, how utilization goals are developed, and the contracts that are set-aside for these firms.

From preparation and coordination to debriefing, Mr. Siben’s outline of the process required to submit qualifications and proposals to the public sector is an expert step-by-step checklist.  He provides an easy-to-understand overview, from the complexities of assembling a response to obtaining a contract from a public agency.  His cautions of the common pitfalls and descriptions of the research necessary should be well understood prior to beginning a marketing plan.  Mr. Siben thoroughly achieves his goal of providing an introduction to public sector marketing.

I picked up Bernie’s book with great anticipation. As always, Bernie didn’t disappoint me. I found the book easy to read and interesting. The research given was well presented in an uncomplicated, well organized manner.

Although I was “raised” on public sector marketing, the book gave me a deeper understanding of the laws that have formed the requirements that public agencies call for in their Request for Proposals/ Qualifications. Bernie provided a comprehensive view of the attitude differences between the public sector and the private sector. If I had had this book when I started working with Land Development engineers, I would have understood why they didn’t understand marketing. Why they didn’t think they needed to visit their clients.

Why they didn’t understand that we needed project statistics for ualification packages and the like. There is a totally different mind-set with Land Development engineers and it is because their clients are so different. This book helps shed light on those differences.

I would recommend this book to any architect, engineer, or marketer for A/E Professional services; private or public sector. A Horse of a Different Color will become a mainstay in my reference library.

The economic climate continues to dictate that A/E/C firms diversify beyond their usual markets to find ways to remain viable, and Federal stimulus money is beginning to flow to national, state, and local agencies, tempting firms to pursue public sector projects.

Before you add the public sector to your marketing mix, you must read this book.  In A Horse of a Different Color, Bernie Siben, CPSM, has captured the intricacies of the public procurement process at every level: from the broad vantage of the Federal government, narrowing the focus to the states and finally the city level. 

With over 30 years of experience in A/E/C marketing, Bernie’s advice and lessons learned are invaluable to assist you in determining if pursuing public sector work is a fit with your firm’s marketing culture. 

The multiple examples given on qualifications-based selection (QBS) at the state and local levels show how various entities apply QBS principles to their selection processes, and the examples are verified by marketing professionals working in each region.  The sample forms in the appendices can give you an idea of the hoops you must learn to pass through in order to successfully navigate the public procurement process. 

Maximize your marketing efforts and your marketing dollars – learn the process and pitfalls first and avoid a painful trial-and-error attempt to obtain public sector projects.