Company Overview
Key Solutions, Inc. (KSI) is a consulting firm that works across the federal, state, and local opportunity lifecycles to help companies win government contracts. Our consultants specialize in proposal development, capture, market assessment, business development, orals coaching, and production services.
Our KSI Advantage© Approach – a set of capture and proposal best practices, agile methods, and unique tools – has helped clients win more than $185 billion in government contracts.
Our mission is to be your best choice by delivering unsurpassed service and extraordinary value with a team of people who love to win.
Our Story
KSI Founder Jim McCarthy started out his career as a congressional campaign manager, and then a legislative assistant, a political journalist, a speechwriter, and even a deputy press secretary for President Ronald Reagan. With this range of experiences, he thought he knew all about how Washington works – until he joined a proposal team.
The initial award jobs – the first was for a farm program, the second involved an oil project – opened up his eyes and sparked a new passion. Jim quickly realized that there were a limitless number of good businesses that were completely qualified to earn and perform these contracts, but needed help in “learning the language” of a proposal and successfully putting one together. This inspired him to launch his company (originally named American Operations, later AOC Key Solutions) in 1983.
Nearly four decades later, the “KSI Advantage” – our process which incorporates agile methods, comprehensive capture, proposal processes, and unique tools – has guided hundreds of clients through market assessment, business development, capture, proposal development, and more to win more than $185 billion in government contracts.
KSI Advantage©: The Key Solutions Difference
KSI has helped clients win over $185 billion in awards using our KSI Advantage© Approach. The KSI Advantage© is a set of capture and proposal best practices, agile methods, and unique tools. We serve firms of all kinds, from small to midsized businesses to the largest companies in Washington, including Lockheed Martin, Leidos, Maximus, and more.
However, the KSI Advantage© is about more than landing major awards. It’s about winning the right way. From the very beginning, Jim and current CEO Greg McCarthy have committed to what they call “Principle-Centered Winning.” This philosophy focuses on two core concepts: That the interests of clients come first, and that you are serving the higher purpose of our nation’s greater good and betterment by producing innovative proposals for agencies.
“Principle-Centered Winning is how we give back to the community and the country for all of the good things that have happened in our lives,” Jim has said. “It’s our way of paying it forward. If we’re not making a meaningful difference, then it’s time to get out of the business.”
Why Choose Key Solutions?
Our people: A full-time team of highly skilled capture, proposal development, and proposal graphics professionals supplemented by more than 250 associates and subject matter experts. Our team is up to date with addressing current procurement requirements and incorporating the most recent tools and best practices, including agile methodologies.
Agency & Market Expertise: We have helped clients win over $185 billion in federal contracts with over 100 federal agencies and departments, across various markets.
Flexible KSI Advantage Process: No rigid “99 steps” capture and proposal processes. Our KSI Advantage approach is flexible and easy to integrate into any size organization, team, or procurement opportunity
State of the Art Proposal Center: Our 18,500 square foot proposal facility is ready to host your proposal with three war rooms, multiple conference rooms, and a full-service production center. [Take a tour]