diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index bc317177..04919823 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'capybara'
   gem 'poltergeist'
   gem 'byebug'
-  gem 'pry'
+  gem 'pry-rails', group: :development
   gem 'database_cleaner'
   gem 'brakeman', require: false
   gem 'hakiri', require: false
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 04ba9ff4..597a007f 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -271,6 +271,8 @@ GEM
       coderay (~> 1.1.0)
       method_source (~> 0.8.1)
       slop (~> 3.4)
+    pry-rails (0.3.4)
+      pry (>= 0.9.10)
     puma (3.6.0)
     rack (1.6.4)
     rack-cors (0.4.0)
@@ -467,7 +469,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   omniauth-saml
   pg
   poltergeist
-  pry
+  pry-rails
   puma
   rack-cors
   railroady
@@ -497,4 +499,4 @@ RUBY VERSION
    ruby 2.3.3p222
 
 BUNDLED WITH
-   1.13.6
+   1.13.7
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/auctions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/auctions_controller.rb
index d9e39f31..0174b49b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/auctions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/auctions_controller.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ def new
   end
 
   def create
-    auction = BuildAuction.new(params, current_user).perform
+    auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user).perform
 
-    if SaveAuction.new(auction).perform
+    if auction.persisted?
       flash[:success] = I18n.t('controllers.admin.auctions.create.success')
       redirect_to admin_auction_path(auction)
     else
@@ -33,11 +33,9 @@ def edit
   def update
     auction = Auction.find(params[:id])
 
-    update_auction = if ArchiveAuction.archive_submit?(params)
-                       ArchiveAuction.new(auction: auction)
-                     else
-                       UpdateAuction.new(auction: auction, params: params, current_user: current_user)
-                     end
+    update_auction = UpdateAuction.new(auction: auction,
+                                       params: params,
+                                       current_user: current_user)
 
     if update_auction.perform
       flash[:success] = I18n.t('controllers.admin.auctions.update.success')
diff --git a/app/models/auction.rb b/app/models/auction.rb
index f353b1ec..3401c979 100644
--- a/app/models/auction.rb
+++ b/app/models/auction.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class Auction < ActiveRecord::Base
   belongs_to :customer
   has_many :bids
   has_many :bidders, through: :bids
+  has_many :states, class_name: 'AuctionState'
   has_and_belongs_to_many :skills
 
   has_secure_token
diff --git a/app/models/auction_parser.rb b/app/models/auction_parser.rb
index d4147eb2..5ad98e12 100644
--- a/app/models/auction_parser.rb
+++ b/app/models/auction_parser.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ def initialize(params, user)
   end
 
   def attributes
-    auction_params.merge(
+    @_attributes ||= auction_params.merge(
       delivery_due_at: delivery_due_at,
       ended_at: ended_at,
       started_at: started_at,
@@ -16,8 +16,24 @@ def attributes
     ).delete_if { |_key, value| value.nil? }
   end
 
+  def published_param
+    if publishing?
+      'published'
+    elsif archiving?
+      'archived'
+    end
+  end
+
   private
 
+  def publishing?
+    attributes['published'] == 'published'
+  end
+
+  def archiving?
+    params.key? :archive_auction
+  end
+
   def auction_params
     strong_params.require(:auction).permit(
       :billable_to,
diff --git a/app/models/auction_state.rb b/app/models/auction_state.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..880ed905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/auction_state.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+class AuctionState < ActiveRecord::Base
+  belongs_to :auction
+end
diff --git a/app/services/change_state.rb b/app/services/change_state.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8ac83bbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/services/change_state.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+class ChangeState
+  def initialize(auction, state_name, state_value)
+    @auction = auction
+    @state_name = state_name
+    @state_value = state_value
+  end
+
+  def perform
+    state.state_value = state_value
+    state.save
+  end
+
+  def state
+    @state ||= find_or_build_state_record
+  end
+
+  def self.perform(auction, name, value)
+    new(auction, name, value).perform
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  attr_reader :auction, :state_name, :state_value
+
+  def find_or_build_state_record
+    find_state_record || build_state_record
+  end
+
+  def find_state_record
+    auction.states.find {|state| state.name == state_name}
+  end
+
+  def build_state_record
+    auction.states.build(name: state_name, state_value: state_value)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/services/create_auction.rb b/app/services/create_auction.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..296b5ce7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/services/create_auction.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+class CreateAuction
+  def initialize(params, current_user)
+    @params = params
+    @current_user = current_user
+  end
+
+  def perform
+    build_auction
+    save_auction
+    create_auction_states
+
+    auction
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  attr_reader :params, :current_user, :auction
+
+  def create_auction_states
+    create_published_state
+    create_work_state
+    # add more states as needed
+  end
+
+  def create_published_state
+    change_state = ChangeState.new(auction, 'published', 'unpublished')
+    change_state.perform
+  end
+
+  def create_work_state
+    change_state = ChangeState.new(auction, 'work', 'not_started')
+    change_state.perform
+  end
+
+  def build_auction
+    @auction ||= BuildAuction.new(params, current_user).perform
+  end
+
+  def save_auction
+    SaveAuction.new(auction).perform
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/services/update_auction.rb b/app/services/update_auction.rb
index 82517f00..b3b195e7 100644
--- a/app/services/update_auction.rb
+++ b/app/services/update_auction.rb
@@ -6,17 +6,33 @@ def initialize(auction:, params:, current_user:)
   end
 
   def perform
-    assign_attributes
-    update_auction_ended_job
-    perform_accepted_auction_tasks
-    perform_rejected_auction_tasks
-    auction.save
+    create_auction_states
+
+    if ArchiveAuction.archive_submit?(params)
+      ArchiveAuction.new(auction: auction).perform
+    else
+      assign_attributes
+      update_auction_ended_job
+      perform_accepted_auction_tasks
+      perform_rejected_auction_tasks
+      auction.save
+    end
   end
 
   private
 
   attr_reader :auction, :params, :current_user
 
+  def create_auction_states
+    create_published_state
+    # add more state creation here, as needed
+  end
+
+  def create_published_state
+    change_state = ChangeState.new(auction, 'published', parser.published_param)
+    change_state.perform
+  end
+
   def assign_attributes
     auction.assign_attributes(parsed_attributes)
   end
@@ -71,8 +87,12 @@ def auction_rejected?
     parsed_attributes[:status] == 'rejected'
   end
 
+  def parser
+    @_parser ||= AuctionParser.new(params, user)
+  end
+
   def parsed_attributes
-    @_parsed_attributes ||= AuctionParser.new(params, user).attributes
+    parser.attributes
   end
 
   def user
diff --git a/db/migrate/20170111193433_create_auction_states.rb b/db/migrate/20170111193433_create_auction_states.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa916f84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20170111193433_create_auction_states.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+class CreateAuctionStates < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    create_table :auction_states do |t|
+      t.integer :auction_id
+      t.string :state_value
+      t.string :name
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 0a3cbc9d..c78ddd2b 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,11 +11,16 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20161221232955) do
-
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20170111193433) do
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
 
+  create_table "auction_states", force: :cascade do |t|
+    t.integer "auction_id"
+    t.string  "state_value"
+    t.string  "name"
+  end
+
   create_table "auctions", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "issue_url",       default: ""
     t.integer  "start_price",     default: 3500, null: false
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 2e015bf7..a1ec4080 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 db:
    image: postgres:9
 web:
+    tty: true
+    stdin_open: true
     build: .
     env_file: .env
     environment:
diff --git a/docs/moving-states-to-tables.md b/docs/moving-states-to-tables.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db08943c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/moving-states-to-tables.md
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+Refactoring data pattern:
+* Build the new data abstraction
+* Find all writes
+* Write to old and new location (ongoing, evented)
+* Backfill task to populate new location (batch)
+* Read from the new location
+* Remove old writes (in code)
+* Remove old fields (in database)
+
+## splitting apart delivery_status
+
+enum delivery_status: {
+  pending_delivery: 0, - (DEFAULT in db)
+  work_in_progress: 5, -
+  missed_delivery: 6, -
+  pending_acceptance: 3, -
+  accepted_pending_payment_url: 4,
+  accepted: 1, -
+  rejected: 2 -
+}
+
+work
+
+- not_started (pending_delivery)
+- in_progress (work_in_progress)
+- delivered (pending_acceptance)
+- not_delivered (missed_delivery)
+
+acceptance
+
+- not_evaluated
+- accepted (accepted)
+- rejected (rejected)
+
+issue: how should information about payment_url be pulled out?
+
+I think we can just stop using payment url info as part of these state buckets.
+
+For example, when we need to find `payment_needed` auctions, we currently use:
+
+```
+relation
+  .accepted_or_accepted_and_pending_payment_url
+  .not_paid
+```
+
+If we pull out `delivery_status` into `work` and `acceptance`, then we can find `payment_needed_auctions` with something like:
+
+```
+relation
+  .accepted
+  .missing_payment_url
+  .not_paid
+```
+
+(note: missing_payment_url scope is not currently implemented)
+
+---------
+# try this one first:
+Published: unpublished => published | archived
+
+# next up
+Auction work state: not started -> in progress -> delivered | not delivered
+Work acceptance: not evaluated -> accepted | rejected
+
+Auction bidding state: not yet bidding -> bidding -> closed
+Auction won state: no bids -> won
+
+Budget: not requested => requested => approved | rejected
+Payment: not paid -> payment sent -> payment confirmed ??
+
+
+create migration
+
+create_table :auction_states do |t|
+  t.string 'name'
+  t.string '_value' # reserved :(
+  t.int 'auction_id'
+end
+
+class SetAuctionState
+  def initialize(name, auction)
+  end
+end
+
+SetAuctionState.new('published', auction).set('published').save
+
+class PublishedAuctionStates
+  StateValues =  {
+    published: ['not published', 'published', 'archived']
+  }.freeze
+
+  def initialize(name, auction)
+  end
+
+  #def name
+  #  'published'
+  #end
+
+  def state
+    # @state = AuctionStates.where(auction_id: auciton.id, name: name)
+  end
+
+  def new_state
+    # AuctionState.new(auction_id: auction.id)
+    auction.states.build
+  end
+
+  def save
+    auction.save
+    state.save
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def set(value)
+    # validator = "#{name.capitalize.constantize}Validator
+    # polymporphism here, for validation
+    # do we want to validate the value
+    valid_states = StateValues[name]
+    raise if !(valid_states.include?(value))
+    state._value = value;
+  end
+end
+
+set_state('visibility', 'published')
diff --git a/spec/models/auction_parser_spec.rb b/spec/models/auction_parser_spec.rb
index 1797df7e..be76b030 100644
--- a/spec/models/auction_parser_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/auction_parser_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,70 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe AuctionParser do
-  describe '#perform' do
+  describe '#published_params' do
+    context 'when the params contains archive_auction' do
+      it 'returns archived' do
+        user = create(:user)
+        params = {
+          auction: {title: 'the title'},
+          archive_auction: :Auction
+        }
+        parser = AuctionParser.new(params, user)
+
+        expect(parser.published_param).to eq('archived')
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the params does not contain archive_auction' do
+      it 'returns nil' do
+        user = create(:user)
+        params = {
+          auction: {title: 'the title'}
+        }
+        parser = AuctionParser.new(params, user)
+
+        expect(parser.published_param).to be nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the params contains {published => published}' do
+      it 'returns published' do
+        user = create(:user)
+        params = {
+          auction: {
+            title: 'title',
+            description: 'description',
+            github_repo: 'github url',
+            issue_url: 'issue url',
+            published: 'published'
+          }
+        }
+        parser = AuctionParser.new(params, user)
+
+        expect(parser.published_param).to eq('published')
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the params contains {published => unpublished}' do
+      it 'returns nil' do
+        user = create(:user)
+        params = {
+          auction: {
+            title: 'title',
+            description: 'description',
+            github_repo: 'github url',
+            issue_url: 'issue url',
+            published: 'unpublished'
+          }
+        }
+        parser = AuctionParser.new(params, user)
+
+        expect(parser.published_param).to be nil
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#attributes' do
     context 'attributes in params' do
       it 'assigns attributes correctly' do
         user = create(:user)
diff --git a/spec/services/change_state_spec.rb b/spec/services/change_state_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90eee08d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/services/change_state_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+describe ChangeState, '#perform' do
+  it 'when there is no associated state record, it creates a new record' do
+    auction = create(:auction)
+    service = ChangeState.new(auction, 'visibility', 'published')
+
+    expect {
+      service.perform
+    }.to change { auction.states.to_a.length }.by(1)
+
+    service.state.reload
+    expect(service.state.name).to eq('visibility')
+    expect(service.state.state_value).to eq('published')
+  end
+
+  it 'will update of the state record when the state with that name already exsits' do
+    auction = create(:auction)
+    auction.states.create(name: 'visibility', state_value: 'draft')
+    service = ChangeState.new(auction, 'visibility', 'published')
+
+    expect {
+      service.perform
+    }.to change { auction.states.to_a.length }.by(0)
+
+    service.state.reload
+    expect(service.state.state_value).to eq('published')
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/services/create_auction_spec.rb b/spec/services/create_auction_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9546dd73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/services/create_auction_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+describe CreateAuction do
+  describe '#perform' do
+    it 'returns an auction' do
+      params = {
+        auction: {
+          title: 'hello'
+        }
+      }
+      current_user = create(:user)
+      create_auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user)
+      auction = create_auction.perform
+
+      expect(auction).to be_a Auction
+    end
+
+    context 'when the auction is valid' do
+      let(:valid_auction_params) do
+        {
+          "title"=>"This is the form-edited title",
+          "started_at"=>"2017-01-30",
+          "started_at(1i)"=>"11",
+          "started_at(2i)"=>"30",
+          "started_at(3i)"=>"AM",
+          "ended_at"=>"2017-01-30",
+          "ended_at(1i)"=>"4",
+          "ended_at(2i)"=>"45",
+          "ended_at(3i)"=>"PM",
+          "due_in_days"=>"6",
+          "delivery_due_at"=>"2017-02-7",
+          "start_price"=>"3500",
+          "type"=>"sealed_bid",
+          "summary"=>"The Summary!",
+          "description"=>"and the admin related stuff",
+          "skill_ids"=>[""],
+          "github_repo"=>"https://github.com/18F/calc",
+          "issue_url"=>"https://github.com/18F/calc/issues/255",
+          "purchase_card"=>"default",
+          "c2_status"=>"not_requested",
+          "customer_id"=>"",
+          "billable_to"=>"Client Account 1 (Billable)",
+          "notes"=>""
+        }
+      end
+
+      it 'saves the auction' do
+        params = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new({
+          auction: valid_auction_params,
+          commit: "Create",
+          controller: "admin/auctions",
+          action: "create"
+        })
+
+        current_user = create(:user)
+
+        create_auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user)
+
+        expect {
+          create_auction.perform
+        }.to change { Auction.count }.by(1)
+      end
+
+      it "creates a published state of 'unpublished'" do
+        params = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new({
+          auction: valid_auction_params,
+          commit: "Create",
+          controller: "admin/auctions",
+          action: "create"
+        })
+
+        current_user = create(:user)
+
+        auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user).perform
+
+        published_state = auction
+                            .states
+                            .find {|state| state.name == 'published'}
+
+        expect(published_state.state_value).to eq('unpublished')
+      end
+
+      it "creates a work state of 'not_started'" do
+        params = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new({
+          auction: valid_auction_params,
+          commit: "Create",
+          controller: "admin/auctions",
+          action: "create"
+        })
+
+        current_user = create(:user)
+
+        auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user).perform
+
+        published_state = auction
+                            .states
+                            .find {|state| state.name == 'work'}
+
+        expect(published_state.state_value).to eq('not_started')
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the auction is not valid' do
+      it 'does not save the auction' do
+        params = {
+          auction: {title: nil}
+        }
+        current_user = create(:user)
+
+        create_auction = CreateAuction.new(params, current_user)
+
+        expect {
+          create_auction.perform
+        }.to change { Auction.count }.by(0)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/services/update_auction_spec.rb b/spec/services/update_auction_spec.rb
index 50192375..4141eb4e 100644
--- a/spec/services/update_auction_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/update_auction_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,83 @@
 
 describe UpdateAuction do
   describe '#perform' do
+    context 'when archiving an auction' do
+      context 'when there is no associated auction_state' do
+        it 'creates a new AuctionState and sets value to archived' do
+          auction = create(:auction, :unpublished)
+
+          params = {
+            auction: {"foo" => "bar"},
+            archive_auction: :Archive
+          }
+
+          expect do
+            UpdateAuction.new(
+              auction: auction,
+              params: params,
+              current_user: auction.user
+            ).perform
+          end.to change { AuctionState.count }.by(1)
+
+          auction.reload
+
+          published_state = auction.states.find {|state| state.name == 'published'}
+          expect(published_state.state_value).to eq('archived')
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'when there is an associated auction_state' do
+        it 'updates the AuctionState and sets value to archived' do
+          auction = create(:auction, :unpublished)
+
+          # adding the existing auction_state
+          # not using a factory since we want to use less of them
+          # this could eventually be pulled into a builder class/method
+          auction.states.build(name: 'published', state_value: 'unpublished')
+          auction.save
+
+          params = {
+            auction: {"foo" => "bar"},
+            archive_auction: :Archive
+          }
+
+          expect do
+            UpdateAuction.new(
+              auction: auction,
+              params: params,
+              current_user: auction.user
+            ).perform
+          end.to change { AuctionState.count }.by(0)
+
+          auction.reload
+
+          published_state = auction.states.find {|state| state.name == 'published'}
+          expect(published_state.state_value).to eq('archived')
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when publishing an auction' do
+      it 'creates an AuctionState record' do
+        auction = create(:auction, :unpublished)
+
+        params = {
+          auction: {"published" => "published"}
+        }
+
+        UpdateAuction.new(
+          auction: auction,
+          params: params,
+          current_user: auction.user
+        ).perform
+
+        auction.reload
+
+        published_state = auction.states.find {|state| state.name == 'published'}
+        expect(published_state.state_value).to eq('published')
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'when changing ended_at' do
       context 'job not enqueued' do
         it 'creates the Auction Ended Job' do