Performance Based Studies Research Group

What Performance Based Studies Research Group does

Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG) is a private research and training organization founded in 1991 by Dr. Dean Kashiwagi at Arizona State University. PBSRG develops and disseminates the Best Value Approach (BVA), a procurement and project management methodology grounded in Information Measurement Theory (IMT), which replaces lowest-bid vendor selection with expertise-based selection, transparent performance metrics, and weekly risk reporting. The methodology is operationalized through the Performance Information Procurement System (PIPS) and the Performance Information Risk Management System (PIRMS), and is supported by a two-tier certification program (B/B+ introductory and A/A+ advanced) and an International Certification Board.

PBSRG serves government agencies (federal, state, local), construction contractors, facility managers, IT organizations, and academia, with documented deployments at the State of Oklahoma, State of Hawaii, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Corps of Engineers, U.S. Air Force, FAA, U.S. Army Medical Command, GSA, Entergy, Schering Plough, and the Competence Centre for Infrastructure in the Netherlands. The organization claims more than 2,000 projects executed across 9 countries and 41 industries, with cumulative project value exceeding $7 billion.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: individual memberships (free and paid at $250 annually), paid training and certification programs, book and publication sales, and institutional licensing for organizations that wish to implement BVA organization-wide. Go-to-market is community-led, anchored by the annual Best Value Conference, speaking engagements, academic publications via the CIB W117 partnership, and direct enterprise licensing deals. The company operates from Tempe, Arizona, and is founder-controlled with no disclosed external funding.

Name

Performance Based Studies Research Group

Legal name

Performance Based Studies Research Group

Website

https://pbsrg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG) develops and disseminates the Best Value Approach (BVA), a proprietary procurement and project management methodology, serving government agencies, construction, and facility management clients across 9 countries through training, certification, and institutional licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: PBSRG offers two membership tiers: Free membership ($0) providing access to peer networking, conference information, news, and academic papers; and Paid membership ($250/year) including free B/B+ online training for 3 months, exclusive video/conference access, and A/A+ level coaching from certification board members.
2. Training and Certification: Professional certification programs at multiple levels (B/B+ introductory level and A/A+ advanced level) with coaching from certification board members. Certification validates understanding of the Best Value Approach.
3. Books and Publications: Series of books guiding professionals through the evolution of their Best Value journey, sold as resources for training and implementation.
4. Licensing (Institutional): Institutions can become licensees rather than individual members. Pricing information available by contacting PBSRG directly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PBSRG develops, disseminates, and certifies professionals in the Best Value Approach (BVA) — a procurement and project management methodology created by Dr. Dean Kashiwagi. The organization delivers B/B+ and A/A+ certification programs, paid annual memberships, institutional licensing, books and academic papers, on-site training, the annual Best Value Conference, and speaking engagements to help organizations shift from lowest-bid to expertise-based vendor selection.

Product overview

PBSRG offers a unified methodology called the Best Value Approach (BVA), which is implemented through two core systems: the Performance Information Procurement System (PIPS) and the Performance Information Risk Management System (PIRMS). The approach is supported by a tiered certification program (B/B+ and A/A+ levels) and membership tiers (free and paid at $250/year). Additional offerings include books, academic research papers, speaking services, and the annual Best Value Conference. The methodology focuses on vendor expertise identification, performance tracking, and transparency in procurement across various industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium Annual Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces project costs by up to 30%
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBSRG is partnered with CIB W117 working commission to improve the delivery, execution, and management of projects in industries worldwide. This partnership enables research collaboration, academic publishing through the CIB W117 Journal of 'The Advancement of Performance Information and Value', and global dissemination of Best Value Approach methodology.
• Kashiwagi Solution Management (KSM)coreOthersKSM appears to be the business entity associated with Dr. Dean Kashiwagi, with contact email [email protected] and phone +1 480-313-4488. The company coordinates training, certification, and implementation support for the Best Value Approach globally.
• Leadership Society of Arizona (LSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founders Jake Gunnoe and Jacob Kashiwagi are involved in both PBSRG and LSA, indicating alignment in mission to promote leadership and Best Value principles.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SAP Ariba: Market-leading procurement and supplier management platform from SAP. Relevant as the dominant incumbent whose embedded sourcing workflows and scale could absorb or overshadow niche methodologies like PBSRG's Best Value Approach.
• APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center): Nonprofit research and benchmarking organization helping firms improve processes. Comparable to PBSRG's research-driven, methodology-propagating approach but operating at a broader cross-functional scale.
• Coupa Software: Business spend management platform with embedded supplier qualification, risk, and performance management capabilities. Comparable as the established SaaS incumbent whose bundled features compete with PBSRG's standalone methodology services.
• Ivalua: Enterprise procurement and sourcing platform offering supplier evaluation and performance tracking features that overlap conceptually with PIPS/PIRMS. Represents the broad SaaS incumbent category PBSRG must position against.
• IFMA (International Facility Management Association): Largest professional association for facility managers, at which PBSRG has presented. Overlaps in the facilities management segment and runs CFM/SFP credentials, serving as a broader incumbent where PBSRG operates as a niche methodology provider.

Emerging players

• Bonfire Interactive: Procurement platform purpose-built for the public sector, supporting vendor evaluation, RFP management, and scoring. Comparable to PBSRG's PIPS/PIRMS in targeting government procurement evaluation, but as software rather than consulting.
• Procurify: Cloud-based procurement software offering spend management, vendor selection, and approval workflows. Adjacent to PBSRG's expertise-based selection methodology, but delivered as SaaS rather than as a training/certification methodology.

Direct peers

• UPPCC (Universal Public Procurement Certification Council): Certification body offering CPPO and CPPM credentials to government procurement officers. Comparable to PBSRG's B/B+ and A/A+ programs—both monetize through training and credentialing of procurement professionals.
• NIGP (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing): Professional association serving government procurement professionals with education, certification, and advocacy. Directly comparable to PBSRG as both target public-sector procurement audiences; PBSRG has presented to NIGP chapters.
• CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply): Global professional body for procurement and supply offering training, certification (MCIPS), and membership tiers. Comparable as a membership-based professional organization monetizing procurement credentials, with deeper international penetration than PBSRG.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxBi26nXLDTqG4ZRV6p0iiQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/performance-based-studies-research-group1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Performance Based Studies Research Group