AEC Mergers & Acquisitions - Agenda

Over two eye-opening days, we dive into everything buyers and sellers need to know about planning and executing a merger, acquisition, or sale in the architecture and engineering space:

2026 AEC M&A Landscape: What Every Firm Leader Must Know	How current market conditions are reshaping deal volume, valuations, and buyer behavior Buyer types active in AEC today: strategics, PE, PE-backed platforms, and employee ownership structures
The M&A Process from Start to Finish	Your roadmap for every stage: preparation, outreach, IOI, LOI, due diligence, and close How long deals actually take, and the most common reasons they stall or collapse What buyers and sellers each need to have ready before the process begins
Valuation & Deal Structure: The Million-Dollar Questions	How AEC firms are actually valued Easy ways to avoid overpaying or leaving money on the table Proven strategies to bridge a valuation gap, and when to walk away Deal structure variables: earnouts, equity rollovers, seller notes, working capital adjustments, deal types (stock vs asset deal)
Hands-on Valuation Exercize	Case study: work through an AEC firm's financial profile and calculate a valuation range Model different deal structures and see how each affects total proceeds Group discussion: where deals get stuck on valuation and how to get them unstuck
Cuture Fit Assessment	Why cultural misalignment is the leading cause of failed integrations, and how to assess it early Frameworks for evaluating leadership compatibility, client service philosophy, and staff retention risk
Buyer Track: Keys to Making Better Acquisitions	What to look for, and what to walk away from, when evaluating a target How to structure your offer to win competitive situations without overpaying Managing your existing business while simultaneously running a deal process
Seller Track: The Many Factors that Frame a Great Deal	How to prepare your firm for the sale and maximize value before going to market How sellers can negotiate more favorable valuations and deal terms Protecting your employees, clients, and legacy through the transaction
Merging With Another Firm: A Different Animal	How mergers differ from acquisitions in structure, culture, and negotiation dynamics Governance, leadership, and ownership split decisions that make or break a merger

Negotiations, Phase I: The Indication of Interest (IOI)	What an IOI is, when it gets issued, and what it should (and shouldn't) commit to Workshop: Draft an IOI using a sample firm profile How to respond to an IOI as a seller: when to accept, counter, or walk
Negotiations, Phase II: The Letter of Intent (LOI)	When is the right time to move from IOI to LOI? See examples of LOIs and understand what goes into them What should be binding vs. non-binding, and why it matters more than most people realize Workshop: Refine your IOI into a full LOI
Due Diligence: Know Exactly What You Are Buying	The biggest mistake in AEC due diligence, and how to avoid it Financial, legal, operational, HR, and IT diligence: what each covers and who should own it How to deal with problems discovered in diligence without blowing up the deal How to keep running your business while a buyer is conducting due diligence
Negotiations, Phase III: Closing Documents & Final Terms	What changes between the LOI and the final purchase agreement, and what shouldn't Documentation: SPA/APA, escrow, employment agreements, non-competes, disclosure schedules, and buyer financing Why deals fall apart after the LOI and how to prevent it
Closing the Deal	What closing day actually looks like, and what can't be missed How to make the big announcement to clients and employees The first 30/60/90 days: setting the integration up for success
Life After the Deal	Who should be involved in integration planning, and when to start Post-closing performance measurement: reports and dashboards