Analysis
BCS offers analytical services to meet the full spectrum of client needs and has worked with programs on the state and federal levels. BCS analysts have experience collecting and interpreting market data; developing and implementing economic models; conducting market research and participant surveys; reviewing current and draft legislation and policy; providing business case analyses; creating and translating technical analyses; and building support for initiatives and partnerships. For research programs, we support the program lifecycle—from strategic planning and roadmapping to program execution, peer review, and program evaluation.
BCS conducts requirements analyses and supports strategic planning for initiatives in the public and private sectors. We perform extensive research on a variety of topics, including industrial markets, renewable energy sustainability efforts, energy and national security topics, and international initiatives. We also facilitate communications efforts within organizations and facilitate dissemination to public and private stakeholders. Our clients include federal agencies, national laboratories, industry and trade representatives, nongovernmental organizations, and academia. BCS analytical elements include:
- 1. Strategic Planning
- 2. Technology Roadmapping
- 3. Program Evaluation/Merit Reviews
- 4. Market Surveys, Research & Analysis
- 5. Financial Analysis & Modeling
- 6. Policy and Legislative Analysis
- 7. Economic Analysis
- 8. Partnership Facilitation
- 9. International Trade Capacity Building
- 10. Energy Security
Strategic Planning
The keys to any successful venture are effective planning and organization. BCS employs a strategy- and direction-defining process that assists clients with decision-making related to resource allocation within constrained environments.
BCS’s expertise can also help an organization formulate and develop:
- Mission, vision, and value structure
- Broad, long-term goals that define mission accomplishments
- Specific, quantifiable, and realistic objectives that measure the accomplishment of a goal over a specified time period
- Critical success factors that must be controlled to achieve one or more objectives
- Solutions for existing or potential barriers to the achievement of one or more objectives
- Strategies required to achieve an objective, control a critical success factor, or overcome a barrier
- Specific actions to be taken to implement a strategy.
Technology Roadmapping
Technology roadmaps lay out a prioritized sequence of activities necessary to accomplish a strategic goal, critical success factor, objective, or vision. BCS provides a highly interactive, structured format for problem solving and producing strategies to address goals and objectives. This format includes methods for information and data collection as well as prioritization tools to facilitate robust discussion among subject matter experts and stakeholders.
Program Evaluation/Merit Reviews
Program evaluations and merit reviews are critical steps in the implementation of a strategic or action plan—evaluations and reviews allow decision makers to see progress as it relates to mission, vision, and objectives. BCS conducts project and program portfolio evaluations and reviews that assess the many facets of a program and provide a complete account of progress and accomplishments, allowing decision makers and performers to make real-time adjustments to better meet and monitor established goals.
BCS works with clients to develop and implement detailed peer review processes and methodology to individual program, subprogram, technology portfolios, or any other subject that warrants or needs a logical and systematic review. BCS provides full service planning capabilities for such reviews, including proprietary and secure IT products and tools to enable online information dissemination, sharing, and evaluation capabilities.
BCS also performs desktop monitoring and auditing to ensure federal grant funds are managed appropriately and that state-level recipients follow federal guidelines.
Market Surveys, Research, and Analysis
BCS has over 20 years of experience identifying, collecting, interpreting, and disseminating market and related technology data. BCS experience in the area of market research and analysis includes analyzing data on domestic and foreign competition, market structures, government regulations, economic trends, and technological advances. BCS prides itself on providing accurate assessments of technology program markets. We help clients identify the most promising strategies to accelerate the market adoption and penetration of new technologies and programs. To identify strategies, BCS provides independent analyses of the technical, economic, environmental, and market opportunities in established markets as well as in newly competitive markets. BCS has experience constructing, testing, and deploying survey mechanisms for clients that serve to collect data, opinions, and behaviors from internal and external stakeholders. BCS also synthesizes and analyzes the resulting survey responses for client use.
BCS has formed extensive contacts, as well as libraries of data resources and information, that enable us to accelerate our information research and collection efforts. We regularly perform data collection and analysis on large information sets and apply proven techniques for organization and evaluation of information on market practices.
BCS has extensive experience providing international market development support to clients, such as the California Energy Commission, Energy Technology Export Program, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and federal government research, development, and deployment programs.
Financial Analysis and Modeling
BCS develops and utilizes financial models to estimate the potential benefits that result from various types of projects involving research, development, deployment, and demonstration investments. Benefit estimates are critical for evaluating projects and presenting the merits of investment. BCS develops financial models to meet the needs of its clients by using technical data to develop real-world models and estimates. These models also quantify the effects of new influences in alternate markets. By using the models across varying types of investments, BCS is able to estimate the benefits in a consistent manner, which includes key data sets and the potential to calculate savings and other benefits that are important to the client.
BCS also develops tracking tools and decision tools to support senior management. These tools facilitate research and development portfolio analysis, trend analysis in project evaluations, and status tracking for site visits, reviews, or audits.
Policy and Legislative Analysis
BCS analyzes current and draft legislation and policy related to some of the most significant issues in the United States today, including energy, the environment, national security, critical infrastructure security, supply chains, and cutting-edge technology development. BCS has vast experience in policy and legislation, including evaluation of rules, regulations, and legislation; model development and sensitivity analysis; white papers; policy scoping; program reports; policy suggestions; and strategic workshop design and implementation. Many BCS analysts have developed subject matter expertise within various policy areas. Their work includes the development of graphical guidance manuals, environmental cross-cut documents, information briefs, and other traditional and innovative means of conveying the requirements and implications of complex statutes, policies, legislation, and regulations pertaining to client interests. Examples include the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, Energy Policy Act of 2005, the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative of 2006, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Renewable Fuels Standard rulemaking, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Economic Analysis
Economic analysis involves the careful study of goods and services—how they are produced, derived, and distributed, as well as their use or consumption, reuse, recycling, and end use. The application of economic analysis and use in decision making is applied throughout society, such as in the traditional sectors of business, finance, and government. In social sectors, economic analysis is applied to the study of mineral and natural resource valuation, criminal activity, safety and security, education, demographics, health, war, science, and politics.
BCS has broad expertise in the conduct of many types of economic analysis, but are most often called upon by clients to apply economic theory in refined and applied scenarios for the assessment of:
- Competitive technologies
- Technology trade offs
- Consideration of risks and rewards
- Costs and benefits
- Impacts of substitution on the production and use of goods or services.
By applying our knowledge and understanding of energy, natural resources and the environment, human health and understanding, and safety and security in combination with sound and systematic analytical methodologies, BCS is able to offer clients detailed information that is tailored to a specific industry, stakeholder, or sector. Examples of economic analysis performed by BCS includes Technical and Economic Assessment: Mitigation of Methane Emissions from Coal Mine Ventilation Air and Assessment of the Worldwide Market Potential for Oxidizing Coal Mine Ventilation Air for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Partnership Facilitation
BCS facilitates collaborative strategic planning, vision, road-mapping, and team building events with government agencies and industry. The facilitated sessions enable these organizations to focus on key business activities, identify mutually beneficial goals, and map strategies to meet those goals.
Our experienced, knowledgeable facilitators lead groups to achieve customer-focused results that aid government and industry in strategic planning of future activities. Through facilitating Vision and Roadmap workshops, BCS fosters government-industry partnerships, establishes long-term goals, and outlines research pathways for achieving those goals. In addition, BCS helps its clients to evaluate their return on investment by conducting program reviews.
International Trade Capacity Building
BCS has developed systems, reports, and marketing and educational materials for U.S. industries to identify, assess, and inform international markets for various technologies. BCS has also performed extensive market research to identify export opportunities in more than 40 countries.
Energy Security
BCS assists in energy assurance planning, preparedness, and response at the federal and local levels. BCS organizes energy emergency exercises, develops planning materials and resources for first responders, and assists in evaluating the status of the energy sector during energy emergencies.