Winning public sector architecture projects is not only about a strong design idea. Practices need to understand procurement, team evidence, fees, resource and what the client is really trying to deliver.
In this Architecture Social episode, Jacob Willson and Amandeep Kalra from Be First London share lessons from Barking and Dagenham, including urban design, housing, sustainability, public space and design-team building.
Watch: Be First London on winning public sector work
Jacob Willson and Amandeep Kalra from Be First London discuss public sector work, design teams, procurement and what makes proposals stronger.
Listen: public sector projects, fees and pitches
The audio version gives the full conversation on public sector procurement, resourcing, pitching and the practical realities of winning work.
What makes public sector work different
Public sector work often carries more visible social, political and community pressure. The design response matters, but so does how the team communicates value, handles process and proves it can deliver.
- Understand the brief before deciding whether to pitch.
- Check whether the fee matches the work required.
- Show evidence from similar project types or constraints.
- Build a team that covers design, technical and community needs.
- Make the proposal clear enough for non-design stakeholders.
Where practices waste effort
Some practices chase public sector work without checking fit. If the procurement route, fee, timeline or team requirement is wrong, the pitch can absorb energy that should be used elsewhere.
Common mistakes
- Pitching before understanding the real client problem.
- Underestimating procurement time and documentation.
- Treating fees as a race to the bottom.
- Using a generic team description.
- Forgetting that community value must be credible, not decorative.
Architecture Social view
Stephen’s commercial view is that project-winning and recruitment are connected. If a practice wants more complex work, it needs the right people, evidence and capacity to deliver it.
Before chasing a public sector project
Use this quick check before investing too much time in the bid.
- Do we understand the client and community need?
- Can we prove relevant experience?
- Is the fee realistic for the scope?
- Do we have the team capacity to deliver?
Next step
Use the episode to sharpen how you think about public sector work, then review whether your team structure supports the type of projects you want to win.
For practical next steps, browse current architecture jobs or contact Architecture Social for tailored advice.
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