Book shares secrets and insights for creating winning proposals and presentations

HONOLULU – www.group70int.com – Gary R. Coover, P.E., a project manager with Group 70 International, Inc. (G70) Hawaii’s leading design firm, today announced the release of his book “Secrets of the Selection Committee,” published by Rollston Press.

With nearly forty years of experience in governmental and private practice, including serving on numerous professional services selection committees, Coover reveals what goes on behind closed doors and explains the many factors that influence the final outcome. The book, geared toward companies and firms responding to requests for proposals, provides over 40 secrets and many valuable insights, tips and recommendations for improving writing and presentation skills using lessons learned from real proposals and presentations.  

“Having worked on so many different proposals, finding out firsthand what really happens during the review process, and seeing so many proposals that totally missed the mark, I realized there is a huge need for firms to learn how they can better sell their qualifications to selection committees,” said Coover.  “If a firm can tell their story better and show trust, value and performance in a way that catches the reviewer’s attention, they will definitely end up winning more projects.”

A few of the secrets revealed in Coover’s book include:

• Secret #2: The RFP does not tell the whole story
• Secret #5: You have no idea how quickly submittals are reviewed
• Secret #22: Sometimes it’s just not your turn
• Secret #36: The interview is not about your qualifications

The book also provides a handy dictionary of commonly used acronyms in the architect/engineering industry and addresses and debunks many perceived notions about selection committees.

To read all 40 secrets in “Secrets of the Selection Committee” the book is available through Amazon.com.

About Group 70 International, Inc.

An award-winning design firm founded in Honolulu in 1971, Group 70 International is dedicated to a collaborative approach and committed to design that reflects the community in which the project serves. G70 provides leading-edge creativity for projects for the hospitality, commercial office and mixed use, multi-family housing, education, financial, healthcare and planned communities sectors. The firm offers specialized services including indigenous planning, environmental compliance, strategy, and sustainable development. G70’s commitment to sustainable practices garnered a 2014 Pacific Business News inaugural “Best in Sustainability” award and is reflected in its varied collection of LEED-certified, net-zero, and HI-CHPS-certified (Hawaii Collaborative for High Performing Schools) projects. For more information on Hawaii’s leading multi-discipline design firm specializing in architecture, planning, interior design, and civil engineering, visit www.group70int.com.

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MEDIA:  For an interview with Gary Coover, please contact Francis Choe at 808.366.4220/francis@pangcomm.com or Jennifer Pang at 808.371.2882/jennifer@pangcomm.com.