Shipley Associates vs OST Global Solutions
A side-by-side comparison of Shipley and OST Global Solutions for U.S. contractors — features, pricing, and who each tool best suits. Honest about where each is genuinely stronger.
TL;DR
Shipley Associates: Shipley Associates is the long-established U.S. proposal consultancy behind the widely used Shipley capture and proposal methodology. It offers proposal-team coaching, color-team reviews, capture support and training (including APMP-aligned courses). They sell expertise rather than software.
OST Global Solutions: OST Global Solutions is a U.S. federal proposal and capture consultancy that takes on the proposal writing itself — drafting volumes, running color-team reviews, and supporting submission on behalf of clients. Per-proposal pricing, often used by contractors without in-house proposal teams.
Shipley vs OST Global Solutions: side-by-side
| Feature | Shipley Associates | OST Global Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Bid consultancy | Bid consultancy |
| Origin | USA · long-established (the Shipley methodology) | USA · federal proposal & capture consultancy |
| Primary audience | Enterprise proposal teams needing consultancy + training | Small and mid-size federal contractors needing per-proposal help |
| Pricing model | Consultancy day-rate or fixed-fee per engagement; training programs priced per cohort | Per-proposal consultancy fees, typically several thousand to tens of thousands per proposal depending on size |
| Federal contracting focus | Partial | Yes — specialist |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Live SAM.gov feed | No | No |
| Proposal library | No | No |
| Solicitation parser | No | No |
| AI proposal drafting | No | No |
Where Shipley is stronger
- Decades of expertise in capture strategy, win themes and color-team review techniques
- Training and certification programs that build long-term in-house capability
Where OST Global Solutions is stronger
- Done-for-you — the consultant handles drafting end-to-end
- Strategic capture review and win-themes input from experienced federal proposal practitioners
Best for Shipley
Proposal teams investing in long-term capability uplift, win-theme strategy and Shipley/APMP training.
Best for OST Global Solutions
Contractors writing 1–2 critical, high-value proposals per year where done-for-you delivery matters more than per-proposal cost.
There's also a third option
GovCon — AI proposal writing built for U.S. small businesses
If you're a U.S. company bidding on federal contracts, GovCon is purpose-built for the job — federal contracting specialism, AI drafting, integrated live SAM.gov feed, free plan, and per-seat pricing from $49/mo. No annual enterprise contract required.
FAQs
What's the difference between Shipley Associates and OST Global Solutions?
Shipley is bid consultancy for enterprise proposal teams needing consultancy + training. OST Global Solutions is bid consultancy for small and mid-size federal contractors needing per-proposal help. The full feature-by-feature breakdown is in the table on this page.
Which is better for federal contracting — Shipley Associates or OST Global Solutions?
Shipley has partial federal contracting coverage; OST Global Solutions is a federal contracting specialist. For U.S. companies bidding on federal contracts, contract vehicles and agency work, the more specialist option is usually the better starting point — but worth weighing against the rest of the comparison table.
Is Shipley Associates cheaper than OST Global Solutions?
Shipley's pricing: Consultancy day-rate or fixed-fee per engagement; training programs priced per cohort. OST Global Solutions's pricing: Per-proposal consultancy fees, typically several thousand to tens of thousands per proposal depending on size. Whichever fits your team's size, contract length, and per-bid economics best is the right answer — both can work out cheaper depending on your situation.
Who should pick Shipley Associates?
Proposal teams investing in long-term capability uplift, win-theme strategy and Shipley/APMP training.
Who should pick OST Global Solutions?
Contractors writing 1–2 critical, high-value proposals per year where done-for-you delivery matters more than per-proposal cost.
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