If the consultancy is going to be very short it is unlikely that a Consultant will be prepared to attend an interview. However, if it is going to be a longer term relationship you should arrange to meet with the Consultant before making a financial decision.

Some Consultants may produce a proposal that doesn't meet your time scale or budget, but most Consultants are willing to negotiate, so if you are happy with their proposal you shouldn't rule them out on this basis.

In selecting a Consultant you should be confident that you have the best person/people for the job. You must be confident that you can have a successful working partnership.

There are a number of questions you should ask the Consultant, these could include:

• What similar work have you done before?
• What experience and skills do you have?
• What are your fees and do you charge VAT?
• Are there likely to be any additional costs involved?
• Do you charge for an initial consultation?
• Are you available on the dates required?
• Can you provide references?
• Why are you interested in doing this work?

It is important that the Consultant is interested in the project and should ask questions about the organisation and the brief.