STEPS Consulting Partners with Systems West Engineers on AI Transformation
OVERLAND PARK, KAN. / SPRINGFIELD, ORE. — September 2026 — STEPS Consulting, an Overland Park, Kansas-based full-service AI consultancy, is partnering with Systems West Engineers, the Springfield, Oregon-based MEP design and commissioning firm, to develop an AI opportunity assessment and transformation roadmap that moves the firm from individual experimentation with AI to a prioritized, firm-wide plan. Consulting engineering firms like Systems West hold decades of project data alongside a heavy load of repetitive administrative work, and the question facing the sector is how to put AI to work on that burden without compromising the engineering judgment clients rely on.
"Systems West has spent two years doing the hard part first, getting clear on why AI matters to their business before buying anything," said Craig Sizemore, Managing Principal of STEPS Consulting. "They already hold themselves to the leading edge of how engineering gets done. Our job is to help them turn that clarity into a prioritized roadmap, grounded in what their people actually do every day, so AI becomes part of how the firm runs rather than a one-off experiment."
"We see a real opportunity for AI to reduce repetitive, lower-value work so our people can spend more time applying their expertise, solving complex problems creatively, and delivering greater value to our clients. This is also about moving beyond individual, case-by-case use of AI and building a thoughtful, consistent enterprise approach that we can elevate over time. As engineers, how we adopt AI matters just as much as what it enables. We have a responsibility to consider its environmental impact, protect the integrity of our work, and ensure that the quality and trust our clients and communities rely on are never compromised," said Amber Kelel, Chief Strategy Officer. "We wanted a partner who would start with what success looks like for our firm instead of starting with a tool, and STEPS' approach of building the roadmap alongside our leadership team is exactly how we want AI to become a sustainable business practice at Systems West."
The engagement gives Systems West a prioritized set of AI use cases, surfaced through working sessions with stakeholders across the firm and ranked against its own definition of success, then sequenced into a roadmap its leadership can act on. For STEPS, the partnership extends the firm's work with consulting engineering firms and continues its focus on helping AEC organizations move from AI experimentation to practical, well-governed adoption.
ABOUT STEPS CONSULTING: STEPS is a full-service AI consultancy that creates trusted, agentic solutions, rapidly transforming the way organizations win. STEPS was recognized by the Kansas City Business Journal as the #3 fastest-growing company in Kansas City. Learn more about STEPS' work at www.stepsconsulting.com.
ABOUT SYSTEMS WEST ENGINEERS: Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Springfield, Oregon, Systems West Engineers is a consulting engineering firm delivering comprehensive engineering solutions for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in the built environment, with an emphasis on sustainability. Whether leading the systems design, commissioning a project, or analyzing energy efficiency, the firm provides proactive and practical solutions to its clients' most complex problems. Systems West serves public and private sector clients across the Pacific Northwest. Learn more at www.systemswestengineers.com.
###