Introducing the C.O.M.P.E.T.E Opportunity Qualification Framework for Professional Services Firms

Sharpen How You Qualify Client Opportunities

Competition across professional services is intensifying. Digital change, shifting client expectations, and increased fee pressure mean firms must be more deliberate about where they focus their energy. Every pursuit takes time and talent. The question is not just whether you can pursue an opportunity, but whether you should.

Through our work with firms — and from our own experience competing for high-value engagements — we saw that many opportunity qualification models fall short. They often look tidy in theory but fail to account for the realities of professional services: limited capacity, complex relationships, and competing internal priorities.

That insight led us to create the C.O.M.P.E.T.E Opportunity Qualification Framework. It’s a practical tool developed through experience, designed to help you assess and prioritise opportunities with clarity and conviction. It gives you a structured way to decide whether a pursuit fits your strategy, plays to your strengths, and is worth the investment.

What C.O.M.P.E.T.E Stands For

C – Client Drivers

O – Organisational Fit

M – Market Positioning

P – People & Stakeholders

E – Evaluation Process

T – Timing & Readiness

E – Economics & Value

The framework helps you evaluate client opportunities — such as tenders, RFPs, proposals, and stalled pipeline deals — through a clear, practical lens. It’s not about scoring or bureaucracy. It’s about creating practical conversations that lead to better, more informed decisions.

By applying the C.O.M.P.E.T.E Framework, firms can:

• Focus on the right opportunities for their goals

• Qualify faster and with greater clarity

• Improve forecasting accuracy and confidence in decisions

• Strengthen win rates and use resources more effectively

The best firms know that saying no can be a sign of strength. The discipline to qualify well protects capacity, improves focus, and enhances reputation.

The C.O.M.P.E.T.E Framework helps you qualify opportunities with purpose and precision, guiding your team to invest time where it delivers the most value for your firm and your clients.

You can complete the C.O.M.P.E.T.E online assessment tool below. It’s free to use, and we don’t collect any client-identifiable information. You’ll receive a summary report by email.

How you choose to apply or assign those results to a specific client opportunity is entirely up to you and your team.

Get started