are increasingly important lately,” McCaw said. “It helps with market- ing and enhances the value we can bring to our clients.” She holds specialty certifications including certified floodplain manager (CFM), diplomate - water resources engineer (DWRE), and Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). Her specialized expertise has allowed the firm to work on groundbreaking projects such as designing the first blue roof in Kansas City for Gallerie, a mixed-use living space slated for completion in late 2018. QBS as a growth driver Another factor that has contributed to VSM’s growth is QBS. ASCE has advocated for QBS as a means of helping small firms compete by privi- leging their unique capabilities, niche market expertise, and knowledge of local regulations and business practices. For VSM, this has held true. “QBS does help sometimes by letting us demonstrate our niche market expertise,” McCaw said. Yet to compete in the QBS environment, a firm needs to be selective about opportunities and present a standout proposal. “There are so many intangibles in the QBS selection process; any firm has to be rigorous about the go/no-go decision to even participate,” McCaw said. “We need to make sure that the perception of our firm is correct before the proposal stage to ensure that QBS selectors will even open the proposal book. A flawless cover letter is extremely important. I see it as a ‘why you should hire us’ letter in one page within their specified format.”
QBS also provides an opportunity for the client and the firm to establish an accurate scope. “I think QBS is very important because the scope of a project needs to be defined, and clients come to you with different levels of engineering knowledge,” McCaw said. “With some of the larger cities, our clients are engineers; while in a smaller city, we might be working with a city administrator, and they aren’t experienced in writing scopes of work for engineering. The scope is essential to ensure that the client gets what they want and what they need.” VSM is a testimony to the value of growing a niche through expertise, credentialing, and pursuing projects through a process that puts qualifi- cations first. To McCaw, that emphasis on quality lies at the very heart of the profession. “People throw the word engineer around because they want credibility,” she said. “I’m very deliberate in how I use that word.” By emphasizing her firm’s niche expertise and professional qualifications, McCaw has positioned VSM for profitable, sustainable business growth. CHRISTIAN HARING is an account executive at Harbor Compliance (www.harborcompliance.com), specializing in professional licensing for engineering, architecture, and construction firms. With a focus on mid-sized and large firms, Haring understands the need for precision and clarity in managing multi-jurisdictional licensing. Contact Haring at 717-298-8128 or charing@harborcompliance.com. Note: Harbor Compliance is not an account- ing or law firm and does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice.
Research & Development Tax Credits Section 179D Energy Incentives Cost Segregation Studies
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