The Owner and/or Architect desires the structural engineer to have a high degree of expertise Zahl-Ford was founded by Robert C. Zahl, P.E., AIA, and J. Stephen Ford, Ph.D., P.E. in 1980. Approximately 50% of the firms work is in the investigative, or forensic area of structural engineering. A large part of the firms other projects involve preparing contract documents and providing construction services for new buildings or the renovation of existing buildings. The design services for many of the larger projects are provided as part of design/build teams.