The Story of How Two Competing Firms Became A FamilyAKA Everything I Have Learned About Building a Proposal Team, I Learned from the Brady Bunch.

Family Relations

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– Merger and Acquisition = success rate of about 50%.  

– Deals look great on paper, but few organizations consider the actual integration of people and processes.

– So the question is…How do you merge a proposal team into a harmonious, highly functioning family?

Here’s a Story...

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of how two highly competitive firms joined forces to create a successful proposal team.

The Match

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Myers and Stauffer

13 offices

370 employees including 11 partners

3 marketing/ proposal writers

30 proposal submissions

PHBV Partners

6 offices 160 employees including 8 partners

1 marketer/ proposal writer

45 proposal submissions

How We Met...

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Myers and Stauffer and PHBV were leaders in the extremely specialized field of health care compliance.

Fierce competitors!

The Courtship

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In 2012, talks were started and our fierce competitor became our

Respected rival!With more than 550 employees in 19 locations across the country, the new Myers and Stauffer became the largest CPA firm to specialize in regulatory health care services to state and federal agencies.

Respected Rivals?

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The Proposal Department probably symbolized the competitiveness more than any other department in the firm. 

After all, beating the competition was how we kept our jobs.

Blended Family: From the Marketing Perspective

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Marketing leaders from both firms met prior to merger.

Even though we were changing, the RFPs did not stop. We needed to be ready on day one to move forward.

Challenges: Taking off the Mask

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Ran proposal numbers/ compared

– 2012: 75 total (20% overlap – 80% proposals were unique opportunities).

– Number of RFPs outpaced staff resources.

Challenges: Similarities, Differences, and Solutions

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Identifying differences in processes and selecting best practices.

Our processes were surprisingly similar, but with just enough subtle differences that we had to compromise.

Challenges: Similarities, Differences, and Solutions

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Compromises had to be made on both sides for the sake of the new firm. Some decisions were easier than others. For example:• RFP identification.• Proposal process. • File structures.• Style Guide.• Resumes.• Quality control.

Challenges: Choosing your Family

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Unlike real families, you get to pick yours.

- Take a hard look at your team and redefine roles.

- Be open and honest.- Facilitate the process for

your Partners/SMEs/ Writers.

Lessons Learned: Rearrange

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It is not my way or your way ... it is our way.

Lessons Learned:

“One Firm”

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Everyone needs to realize that you are on the same team now.

Matching Attitudes Required, Not Matching Outfits.

Lessons Learned:

Build the Right Team

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Must have right mix.

Don't be afraid to change roles or let go of staff.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

Lessons Learned:

Don’t Overlook the Good Things

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Not every day is great, but something great happens everyday.

Blending a team together is not easy. Focus on small successes...at first.

Lessons Learned:

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

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In the beginning, items like layout may not matter.

OK...maybe it matters a little...

Lessons Learned:

Educate Yourself

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Take the time to learn about services that your legacy firm did not offer. Make yourself valuable. Your new firm is the grooviest

kid in school and you want to know all about them!

Lessons Learned:

Find Your Alice

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Be at the table or find an advocate who understands proposals and their importance to your firm.

I understand proposals ...at least most of the time.

Lessons Learned:

Make the Connection

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You are more than a proposal coordinator, you are a people coordinator.

Hula lessons only in dire circumstances.

Our Five Year Anniversary

2018 will be our five year anniversary as a merged firm...How are we doing?

Our Five Year Anniversary• Are we “One Firm?”• Did we build the right team?• Did we manage to not overlook the good

things?• Did we really not sweat the small stuff?

Our Five Year Anniversary• Did we educate ourselves and become

invaluable?• Did we find our Alice?• Did we make the connection?

Thank you and Remember...If all else fails...Keep on moving, because RFPs never stop.

Thank you and Questions?

• Amy Schuman, Marketing Director 816.945.5349/aschuman@mslc.com

• Susan Quinn, Sr. Manager Marketing, 919.829.7419/squinn@mslc.com