Start with the solicitation. List the specific qualifications, services, registrations, certifications, or local capacity it requires, then identify which items your firm can provide and which need a partner. A defined gap makes the search more focused and helps avoid adding a partner whose role is unclear. Check the procurement documents for rules on subcontracting, joint ventures, participation goals, disclosures, and limits on changing team members.
Use public award records, agency consultant lists, professional associations, and firms’ published service profiles to identify potential partners. Treat these as leads rather than proof of current availability, eligibility, or performance. Verify relevant project experience directly, ask who would be assigned, and confirm that the proposed staff have capacity for the expected schedule. For certifications or participation programs, check the status with the administering agency and confirm the certification applies to the work and procurement at issue.
Before committing, discuss responsibilities in practical terms. Agree on scope boundaries, key staff, proposal tasks, client communications, schedule, fee or subcontract terms, insurance, data handling, conflicts, and how changes will be handled. Determine which firm will lead the prime contract and who will be responsible for each deliverable. Ask each other how technical review will work and how concerns will be escalated. If the proposal uses a partner’s project example, resume, or logo, get permission and confirm the description is accurate.
Put the arrangement in writing before submission when feasible, and make sure it complies with the solicitation. The agreement should address confidentiality, ownership and permitted use of proposal material, payment, liability, termination, and any required flow-down terms. Have qualified counsel review the arrangement, especially for a joint venture, public program requirements, or unusual risk allocation.
Keep a record of the sources used to verify a partner’s credentials and experience. Do not describe a firm as certified based on an old or unrelated record, and do not imply that a past award guarantees current eligibility or capacity.
This is general education, not legal, tax, or engineering advice; qualified counsel, program rules, licensed PE judgment, and local codes govern.
