General Information
Blueprint Investment Partners LLC (hereinafter referred to as “Blueprint”) is a fee-only asset manager
providing sub-advisory services to registered investment advisors (“RIAs”) and brokerage service
providers (referred to collectively as “the client”). Blueprint was organized in December of 2013 by Jon
Robinson and Brandon Langley, who continue to be the majority owners. Its principal place of business
is Greensboro, North Carolina.
History and Advisory Services
Blueprint’s beginning goes back to the early 2000’s when Jon Robinson and Brandon Langley,
having a shared appreciation for rules-based investing, began developing systematic trading
strategies. After researching these techniques and developing a process of their own, Jon and
Brandon launched Robinson-Langley Capital Management, LLC (“RL Capital”) in 2006, a
Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) and Commodity Pool Operator (CPO). In 2007, RL Capital
launched its first managed futures investment program for outside clients.
After managing through the 2008-2009 financial crisis, RL Capital was asked in 2009 by one of its
early RIA clients to launch a single manager fund, also using futures contracts. Shortly thereafter, Jon
and Brandon also began researching how to apply their techniques to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
and Mutual Funds. In 2011, their first ETF strategy was launched on a white label basis for an RIA
based in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 2013, Jon and Brandon made the decision to launch Blueprint to serve financial advisors and
institutions. Tommy Mayes joined as an equity partner in 2016. In 2017, Blueprint became
compliant with Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) and in 2018 became GIPS
verified.
Blueprint provides asset management services in two ways. On a discretionary basis Blueprint will
implement its strategy directly, and place trades in the client’s separate account. On a non-
discretionary or consulting basis, Blueprint will communicate allocation models to the primary
advisor who will then execute trades. As part of its consulting services, Blueprint will also provide
recommendations on fund holdings not necessarily utilized in Blueprint Strategies.
Sub-Advisory Services
Blueprint provides discretionary sub-advisory services to investment advisors and brokerage service
providers. When providing such services, Blueprint will enter into a separate, written sub-advisory
agreement with each advisor or broker. Subject to Blueprint’s written approval, the client may be able to
place a variety of restrictions on Blueprint’s discretionary investment activity, including restrictions on the
term of investments, the types of securities permitted, the credit ratings allowed, and the liquidity of the
account. Clients may change these restrictions upon written notice to Blueprint and such changes are only
effective once acknowledged in writing by Blueprint.
In providing sub-advisory services to its clients, Blueprint employs various proprietary investment
strategies (“Investment Strategies”) for the portfolios over which it has been delegated discretionary
authority (each, a “Portfolio”). Blueprint works with each client to determine which Investment
Strategy or Strategies will achieve the objectives of a particular Portfolio.
Rollover Recommendations
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may recommend that you withdraw the assets
from your employer's retirement plan and roll the assets over to an individual retirement account
("IRA") that we will manage on your behalf. If you elect to roll the assets to an IRA that is subject to
our management, we will charge you an asset-based fee as set forth in the agreement you executed with
our firm. This practice presents a conflict of interest because persons providing investment advice on
our behalf have an incentive to recommend a rollover to you for the purpose of generating fee-based
compensation rather than solely based on your needs. You are under no obligation, contractually or
otherwise, to complete the rollover. Moreover, if you do complete the rollover, you are under no
obligation to have the assets in an IRA managed by our firm.
Many employers permit former employees to keep their retirement assets in their company plan. Also,
current employees can sometimes move assets out of their company plan before they retire or change
jobs. In determining whether to complete the rollover to an IRA, and to the extent the following
options are available, you should consider the costs and benefits of: 1)) Leaving the funds in your
employer's (former employer's) plan; 2) moving the funds to a new employer's retirement plan; 3)
cashing out and taking a taxable distribution from the plan; and/or 4)
rolling the funds into an IRA
rollover account. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages and before making a change
we encourage you to speak with your CPA and/or tax attorney. Our recommendations may include any
of them, depending on what we feel is in your best interest.
We are fiduciaries under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and when we provide investment advice
to you regarding your retirement plan account or individual retirement account, we are also fiduciaries
within the meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal
Revenue Code, as applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. As a fiduciary, we are
required to document the reason(s) for why the recommendation we made is in your best interest.
Consulting Services
Blueprint also provides certain generalized (i.e., not provided with respect to any specific client or
client account) non-discretionary investment services with respect to the assets managed by another
investment adviser (“Consulting Services”).
Investment Philosophy
All Blueprint Strategies share the following core characteristics:
Focus on Price – Blueprint believes that the established market value of the asset reflects all
relevant information in the market.
Systematic and Rules-Based – Blueprint believes in designing systematic processes and
following the rules in a disciplined manner. We utilize systematic trend following
methodologies both as a means to mitigate risk and as a dynamic asset allocation engine, which
is in our opinion the best approach to consistently take advantage of opportunities and sidestep
risks.
Transparent and Understandable – Blueprint uses basic factors that are designed to provide
persistent returns and effective risk management.
Diversification – Blueprint believes in harnessing the value of non-correlation between asset
classes where available.
Client-Friendly – Blueprint believes that investment strategies must be tax-efficient and be
sensitive to investor behavior.
The Strategies
Blueprint currently offers 4 primary strategies – Growth, Moderate Growth, Balanced, and
Conservative. The strategies are globally diversified, having the following asset classes:
US Equity
Foreign Developed Equity
Emerging Market Equity
Real Estate
US Bonds
Global Bonds
Inflation-Protected Bonds (TIPS)
Diversified Managed Futures
Each asset class has a target weight that is shifted based on Trend Following or Momentum-based
factors focused solely on the price of the asset. The extents to which asset class allocations are shifted
depend on another macro-level setting for each strategy:
The Strategic Component
The Tactical Component
This excludes the Diversified Managed Futures allocation, which remains constant due to its use of
trend following tactics within the fund itself.
The Strategic component is the portion of the strategy that remains static for each asset class. The
strategic allocation aligns with the client’s objectives for the particular strategy. Alternatively, the
Tactical component is the segment of the strategy allowed to shift based on Blueprint’s proprietary
Trend Following techniques. Adjusting these two components creates multiple sub-strategies that can be
catered to the client’s needs. Strategies with a higher tactical component are designed to be less
correlated with the overall market direction, particularly during bear markets.
Strategy Applications
Blueprint seeks to provide strategies that can serve as the diversified core allocation or as a liquid
alternative sleeve allocation. Utilizing Blueprint as a core solution, the primary advisor then can focus on
the selection of satellite investments to tilt the portfolio in a certain direction as desired. As a liquid
alternative allocation, the Blueprint Strategies blend with the rest of the client portfolio during equity bull
markets, but also adapt to provide non-correlation and a volatility buffer during equity bear markets. Our
investment process seeks to eliminate the performance drag that can occur in bull markets with
traditional alternatives, without losing the downside protection typically sought with liquid
alternatives.
Where to Access Blueprint
Blueprint offers its strategies on various broker-dealer and advisory service platforms including
Envestnet, Schwab Managed Account Marketplace, TD Ameritrade Separate Account Exchange,
Pershing Managed Connect, Sawtooth Solutions and others. For a full list please contact us or visit
www.blueprintip.com.
Client Assets
As of December 31, 2023, Blueprint has $849,444,732 in assets under management, all of which
are discretionary.