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Int'l Business Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
RTG Founder Danica Mason on Why Proposal Management Is the Gatekeeper to Opportunities in the AEC Industry
When a billion-dollar transportation project gets awarded, few think about the document that won it. Fewer still consider the team behind that proposal. According to Danica Mason, principal and founder of Red Team Go (RTG) and a 2024 ENR Northwest Top Young Professional, the proposal isn't just paperwork; it's the gateway to opportunity. Mason has built a firm that does more than polish resumes and coordinate submittals. She's redefined the discipline of proposal management for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, especially for small and minority-owned businesses that typically don't have internal teams to handle the immense demands of competitive bidding. "Yes, writing is hard, but the challenge starts long before the first word," Mason says. "There's research, pre-positioning, assembling the right team, none of which can happen after the RFP drops." That reality is especially daunting for the small shops that dominate the subcontractor landscape in the AEC world. For many, proposal writing is a solo effort, with one person juggling management, content, and design. Mason warns that this 'one-person shop' model is inherently limited. "There are three parts to a successful proposal: management, writing, and creativity," Mason explains. "Very few people are strong in all three. That's why we've built a team structure that lets each piece shine and that makes all the difference." RTG's approach is rooted in this very 'three-piece' methodology. Proposal management ensures structure and momentum, creative design makes the document compelling, and technical writing conveys the story. But what truly sets RTG apart, Mason emphasizes, is industry fluency. "We're not just comms people who make things look pretty," she says. "We've worked in construction. We understand the terminology. We know how a job gets built and how to write and design around that." This insight allows RTG to go beyond surface-level storytelling. It can interpret project nuances, develop meaningful win themes, and help small businesses speak directly to what public clients value most: understanding, alignment, and clarity. Danica Mason Speaking at the BuildIT Founder's Day Annual Gala Mason's long-term impact lies not just in wins, but in who gets to win. She and her team have become a critical resource in helping small and disadvantaged businesses secure contracts they might never have otherwise reached. That work earned her the 2025 Build Community Impact Award, recognizing her commitment to equity through infrastructure. While proposals remain RTG's bread and butter, Mason is clear-eyed about their volatility. "You can work on a proposal for two weeks or 18 months, and still not know when, or if, it's going to drop," she says. "That's why we're expanding. Our small business and civil rights work is just as impactful." Still, Mason knows that proposals are where it begins. "You can't build the bridge if you don't win the bid," she says. "And no one's going to hand you the work if your proposal doesn't show them why you deserve it." And for the small firms she helps elevate, it's the first step toward building something bigger.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Red Team Go Builds Equity Into the Foundation of Infrastructure
04/08/2025, Woodinville, Washington // PRODIGY: Feature Story // When it comes to architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C), equity has often been viewed as a requirement, rather than something that is the vehicle for building better infrastructure and communities. That is why Red Team Go (RTG) has been flipping the script for almost 15 years now. At its helm, founder Danica Mason blends in her industry knowledge with social advocacy into the consultancy firm. At the core of the company's mission are federal and state mandates that require a portion of public project spending to go toward diverse small businesses: those owned by women, minorities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups. Yet, these targets are often only met by the required amount and rarely exceeded, due to systematic hurdles, limited outreach, and fears around risk and cost. That's where RTG steps in. 'Our job is to bridge the gap between prime contractors and the small, certified businesses that can help meet diversity goals,' Danica says. 'We make the introductions, break down the work packages to a manageable size, and help everyone meet business objectives while fulfilling civil rights obligations.' This, for Danica, is more than about compliance; it's about transformation for these small owners. An analysis by the American Independent Business Alliance translates how every dollar spent with a small business circulates three times over within the community. Danica emphasizes, 'We're here to build capacity and create generational change. That's what equity should look like in real time.' Danica understands the stakes personally. As a woman-owned small business herself, she knows firsthand how difficult it can be to break into the industry—and how crucial those first opportunities are. 'RTG grew only through word of mouth for over a decade. We didn't even put up a website for those first ten years,' she shares. The consultancy firm built trust by delivering well. That trust allowed the company to grow, hire, and pay it forward. Danica Mason, founder of Red Team Go RTG's track record of exceeding diversity targets speaks for itself. On one design-build project with just a 2% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal, the firm helped push utilization to nearly 14%. On a highway project with a 26% goal across multiple categories, RTG achieved a commendable 49% utilization. Danica shares that on the $700 million highway program, RTG helped connect more than 160 certified diverse businesses, generating nearly $180 million in spending, an impact that reaches far beyond any construction site. Danica understands that risk management is key: large firms often face higher costs and logistical challenges when working with smaller subcontractors. 'You're adding more overhead, more management needs, and sometimes unknown performance levels. Our job is to ensure that those small businesses are ready, capable, and supported—so prime businesses feel confident bringing them in.' The firm doesn't just work with private contractors. RTG also partners directly with public agencies—transportation departments, cities, and federal bodies—to facilitate utilization and compliance during project delivery. Their services span team development, SOQ and proposal management, branding, grant writing, and, critically, inclusion program administration. Their involvement with organizations like BuildIT, the only LGBT industry Association focused on sustainable growth for certified LGBT-owned businesses and allies, further illustrates RTG's commitment to equity as both a business strategy and a value system. RTG's founder Danica believes that equity in A/E/C isn't just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing. 'When you diversify your team, suppliers, and subs, you strengthen your project. And you strengthen the communities you're building in.' RTG's model is simple but powerful: create opportunity, deliver quality, and grow capacity. They don't take on work they can't deliver on. Every member of the team specializes in their role. That selectivity, combined with deep industry knowledge, is what's allowed RTG to scale successfully while staying true to its mission. Looking ahead, Mason envisions RTG playing an even bigger role in reshaping how inclusion is built into infrastructure from the ground up. 'We've always focused on collaboration,' she says. 'And now we're ready to help others achieve what we've been able to do. When small businesses succeed, communities succeed. That's the future we're building.' Media Contact
