Healthy rivalries fuel collaboration and innovation, ultimately benefiting communities and strengthening the AEC industry.
In the world of water and wastewater engineering, where the stakes are high and the challenges are complex, competition often gets a bad rap. It’s easy to view rival firms as obstacles to success – barriers to winning bids, securing funding, or gaining recognition. But in truth, healthy competition is one of the most powerful forces driving innovation, collaboration, and ultimately, community benefit in the AEC industry.
As engineers, we are trained to solve problems. We thrive on constraints, on pushing the limits of what’s possible, and on delivering solutions that are not only functional but sustainable and resilient. When we compete – especially in a healthy, respectful way – we sharpen those skills. We challenge each other to think bigger, design smarter, and build better. And in doing so, we elevate the entire industry.
Courage to compete.
It takes courage to enter a competitive arena, especially when the outcome is uncertain or if you’re a smaller firm going up against a bigger one. Whether it’s a design-build proposal, a public-private partnership, or a municipal infrastructure upgrade, the process of competing demands vulnerability. We put our ideas, our reputations, and our values on the line. Some firms won’t compete on certain projects because they’re afraid of losing. But while losing is never fun, it makes the wins even better. We’ve proven that at Garver. We’ve gone up against the biggest firms in the country, and we’ve beaten them. That’s the kind of reward worth the risk. The truth is competing isn’t easy but most good things in life do not come easy.
Courage is what fuels progress. It forces us to ask hard questions like, “Can we do this more efficiently?” This doesn’t just lead to better proposals – it leads to better projects.
Confidence in our abilities.
Healthy competition also builds confidence – not just in ourselves, but in our teams and our industry. When we see our peers delivering exceptional work, it inspires us to rise to the occasion. It reminds us that we are part of a dynamic, evolving field. That confidence is contagious. It empowers junior engineers to speak up and share their ideas; it encourages innovation; and it reassures clients and communities that they are in capable hands.
When our junior engineers see us challenging the status quo, tackling complex multi-discipline projects, and contributing big-time to industry organizations, they feel inspired and energized. Empowering them to lead these efforts before they feel fully ready helps build their confidence, accelerating both their career growth and progress within the water industry.
Collaboration through competition.
Ironically, some of the most impactful collaborations I’ve experienced have emerged from competitive environments. The drive to deliver maximum value to our clients has brought together firms that might otherwise never have worked side by side. In these settings, competition doesn’t divide – it unites around a shared goal: delivering the best possible outcome for the people we serve.
In water infrastructure, that might mean we partner with a firm that has expertise in an area that we do not, such as rate setting, geotechnical engineering, or subsurface utility investigation. These are not just technical challenges; they are human ones. And when we compete to solve them, we all win.
When we do need to team up with a competitor for whatever reason, it should bring value to our client. If I already have a relationship with a competitor, I’m very comfortable calling them and having a conversation regarding upcoming opportunities, sharing our knowledge, and getting their opinion on projects or pursuits. For the past 25 years, I’ve built relationships within the industry, and those have served Garver, our clients, and our communities well. Having these enduring relationships also gives me insight into how our competitors think so that when we partner with them – or go head-to-head – I don’t have to read their minds.
Communities are the real winners.
At the end of the day, the true beneficiaries of healthy competition are not the firms that win the contracts or the engineers who get the accolades. The real winners are the communities that gain access to clean water, reliable sanitation, and resilient infrastructure.
When competition drives us to innovate, to exceed standards, and to deliver lasting value, it’s the public that reaps the rewards.
That’s why we need to foster a culture of courageous, confident, and constructive competition in the AEC industry. Not for the sake of ego or market share, but for the sake of the people who depend on our work every day.
Brian Shannon, PE is East Region Water Director at Garver. Connect with him on LinkedIn.