Evaluating consultants' proposals and presentations
Some suggested criteria:
Background to the project
- To what extent has information provided by you been accurately captured by the consultants?
- Has new information above and beyond that which is likely to be available to you been presented by them?
- To what extent has this information been interpreted specifically in relation to your company (or is it generic)?
- What insights have the consultants provided which enable you to think about the project / issue in a new way?
- Is there a clear framework of key points which provides the context into which the consulting project will fit?
Aims and objectives
- Is there a clear framework of key points which provide the context into which the consulting project will fit?
- Is there a clear statement of your aims?
- Is there a clear statement of the aims of the consulting project in the context of your overall business objectives?
Approach proposed
- Is there a clearly-stated structure to the approach proposed?
- To what extent is there a rationale to the structure, explaining why the consultants have proposed this approach?
- Will the approach achieve the aims of the project as described?
- Is there a sufficient level of detail to give you a tangible grasp on what will be involved in practice?
- Is there a description of resources and a reasonable guarantee that the people you’ve met during the buying process will be working on the project?
- Do the resources proposed match the project requirements?
- To what extent are benefits of the project articulated?
- Does the proposal differentiate the consulting firm?
Project management
Is there a clear project structure and division of roles and responsibilities?
Are the communications structure and reporting lines also clear?
Are the outputs / deliverables / milestones clearly stated?
This is an updated extract from Fiona Czerniawska’s The Intelligent Client, published by Hodder & Stoughton.
