Qualification Based Selection (QBS) agency search

Why QBS

Advertisers & marketers are looking to source services & products that are Complex, Custom & Costly.  With the ever-changing marketing landscape this can be a daunting task. How do you source the best agencies to provide solutions for your unique challenges effectively & efficiently, while encouraging agencies to provide the best solutions?

RFPs are perfect for sourcing direct, commodity, benchmarkable goods & services but not so effective for creative & strategic services. QBS is a long-standing methodology used in the US for the procurement of public architecture & engineering services. The similarities between the A/E & the advertising agency sectors mean that QBS can effectively be utilized by advertisers in the agency search process.

QBS Methodology

  • Uses Performance-Framed Case Studies (PFCS)
  • No request for speculative insights, strategy or creative
  • Defined Budget & Nature of Requirements
  • Proprietary questions
  • Interviews
  • Price negotiations with the most qualified firm
  • Simple scoring rubric

Interested in Learning How to Implement a QBS Agency Search?

Contact Leah Power at leah@theica.ca or call 416-482-1396 x245

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