Choosing the consultant

Choosing consultants is analogous to a staff selection process: Interview the short-listed bidders to provide an opportunity to probe claims and methodology. But make sure that it is the nominated team that is interviewed as part of a consultant’s presentation, not just one of the firm’s ‘professional presenters’. The box below (‘quick-check questions’) provides a useful basis for discussion during the consultant’s presentation. For large contracts, consider having an outsider sit on the evaluation committee, both for probity and to gain an external perspective; preferably someone from an agency with relevant expertise. Even an industry person not connected with the