ITO's desire to procure additional business

Details: Using the A&D case described below, review A&D's position in the product life cycle and consider branding strategies that might assist them in procuring additional business. Be sure to suggest tactics which would allow those firms and government agencies that might have need of A&D's services in the future to become familiar with A&D and to contact A&D when they have a need.

Write a memo to the CEO of ITO, citing A&D as an example, and drawing from this example, develop a few ideas that might promote ITO's desire to procure additional business.

A&D Case Study
A&D, based in Atlanta Georgia, with offices in Birmingham, Alabama and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, provides project management and financial analysis services for construction projects and other capital programs. Their expertise also includes facilities utilization, replacement and maintenance. A&D's consulting engagements include work in construction budgeting, scheduling and on-site review as well as claims analysis and expert testimony. A&D employs 40 people and earns approximately US$4 million in annual consulting fees.

In some respects, even though A&D is over 30 years old, the firm is still a well-kept secret, since not much effort has been expended in marketing their services, nor do many prospects know of their successes. In the past they have sourced business from personal contacts, word-of-mouth marketing, and government bids. They have never advertised their services.

However, despite the lack of company name branding, in the last few years several of their projects have received national acclaim. A&D successfully designed, bid and initiated all of the project construction for a US$169 million Olympic Village housing construction program. They assisted in compressing a ten-year construction program into three years. As part of the project, they also were responsible for a land acquisition program which included negotiating 16 separate rights-of-way, purchasing several acres of land from the local municipal housing authority, overseeing two separate condemnation actions conducted by the State Attorney General and coordinating demolition of structures listed on the National Historic Register.

A&D has also become well-known for their work with several large metro housing authorities. For one of the 10 largest public housing agencies in the United States, they are responsible for the design and construction management department's day-to-day operations. This department oversees over US$35 million in active contracts, spanning 42 public housing communities and servicing over 10,000 residents. A&D's work which also includes the design and construction management department's organizational structure, staffing, processes, reporting/auditing has resulted in the Authority receiving a perfect 100% score on its annual management review by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development versus an all-time low score of 39% several years prior. Due to A&D's work, the Authority also received an "A" in their modernization program versus a "F" two years previously.

For another metropolitan housing authority they are responsible for planning, procuring and managing the design, renovation and demolition of the Authority's housing stock from scope development through procurement, contract administration and closeout as well as managing their capital improvement budget. In addition, A&D participates in this Authority's strategic planning process by assisting with the Authority's annual and 5-year strategic plans.