How Capo Projects Wins Massive Institutional RFPs (Without Being the Cheapest)

In this episode of The Contractor Grow Show, Mark sits down with Adam Trimm of Capo Projects Group, a 30-person construction consulting and project controls firm based in San Clemente, California. Adam shares how his four-partner team supports data centers, utilities, hospitals, schools, and major civil projects across the U.S.—and why they’re often chosen over bigger competitors even when they’re not the lowest bid. They dig into how Capo Projects pre-positions for multi-million and billion-dollar opportunities, builds deep relationships with both contractors and institutional owners, and uses tech (including their PlanGo platform and AI experiments) to streamline scheduling and de-risk complex jobs. If you’re serious about moving up-market or competing on more than just price, this conversation is a playbook. Key takeaways: How four ex–heavy civil pros built a 30-person consulting firm over 13–14 yearsThe evolution from GC-focused work to 50–60% of revenue coming directly from institutional ownersWhy pre-positioning off capital improvement plans (CIPs) is critical before an RFP ever dropsHow they win RFPs on value, resumes, and risk reduction—not just low feesThe role of face-to-face site visits and relationship-building in landing massive projectsHow their PlanGo scheduling platform was born from internal needs, then spun out as a productWhere AI can (and can’t yet) replace the “salty 40-year superintendent” in project schedulingWhy investing thousands in travel and pursuit work upfront can transform your hit rate at the top end