Choosing & Using Consultants & Advisers: A Best Practice Guide to Making the Right Decisions and Getting Good Value

Copyright......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
List of figures......Page 7
Preface......Page 9
Acknowledgements......Page 12
THIS IS WHAT CLIENTS SAY......Page 13
CONSULTANTS AND EMPLOYEES......Page 17
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO AN EXTERNAL......Page 19
STARTING THE RELATIONSHIP......Page 22
WHEN NOT TO USE CONSULTANTS......Page 23
BRINGING PEOPLE ONSIDE......Page 24
MAKING A BUSINESS CASE......Page 25
PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANCY SECTOR......Page 27
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS: WHAT’S......Page 32
QUALITY ACCREDITATION: WHAT’S IT WORTH?......Page 33
PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE......Page 35
CONSULTANTS AND RELATIONSHIP......Page 36
BASIS OF CHARGES: A RANGE OF OPTIONS......Page 39
FEE LEVELS......Page 43
HOW FEES ARE CALCULATED......Page 45
HOW TIME IS CHARGED......Page 48
HOW EXPENSES ARE DEALT WITH......Page 49
WILL I HAVE TO PAY MONEY UP FRONT?......Page 50
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF CONSULTANCY......Page 51
COUNTING THE BENEFITS......Page 52
4 How should I specify the job......Page 55
PREPARING A WORK SPECIFICATION......Page 56
DRAWING UP THE SCOPE AND CONTENT......Page 58
GAUGING THE PRACTICAL DEMANDS......Page 61
SETTING A TIMETABLE......Page 62
CONFIRMING YOUR BUDGET......Page 63
DETERMINING YOUR INPUTS......Page 65
DECIDING WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT......Page 66
ASSESSING AND CONTROLLING RISKS......Page 67
PUTTING THE WORK SPECIFICATION ON PAPER......Page 72
MOVING AHEAD TO SELECTION......Page 78
5 How do I select the right......Page 81
TAKING UP REFERENCES......Page 85
FOLLOW-UP MEETING......Page 86
SEEKING MORE INFORMATION......Page 89
GOING OUT TO TENDER......Page 93
INVITING PROPOSALS......Page 96
REACHING A DECISION......Page 114
AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS......Page 137
TYPES OF CONTRACT......Page 142
DRAWING UP A CONTRACT......Page 150
GUIDELINES TO STEER YOU CLEAR OF PROBLEMS......Page 156
BEFORE THE WORK STARTS......Page 173
ONCE THE WORK IS UNDER WAY......Page 174
MONITORING PERFORMANCE AND PROGRESS......Page 177
WHY DO THINGS GO WRONG?......Page 183
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PUT MATTERS RIGHT?......Page 186
HANDLING CONTRACT VARIATIONS......Page 190
WHEN THE ASSIGNMENT IS COMPLETED......Page 195
8 How does the public sector go......Page 199
PROCUREMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS......Page 200
THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS......Page 202
BEST VALUE AND PARTNERING......Page 213
9 How can I get the best value......Page 215
SECURING ADDED VALUE......Page 216
CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BUSINESS......Page 218
Index......Page 229