Dealing with ConsultantsIn small museums not every aspect of operations can be covered by staff and volunteers. Often a consultant is employed to undertake a specific project. Ensure the credentials of the consultant are checked before they are engaged, to help determine whether they are able to deliver the service to be provided. Elements of a brief When considering employing a consultant (either paid or unpaid) it must be clear what it is they are being employed to do. Ensure the brief developed is comprehensive and unambiguous as to the expectations and outcomes of the contract being undertaken. Provide a brief which clearly sets out : The desired outcomes: what exactly the consultant is required to do/produce The stages that the project should follow, including visual concepts (if appropriate), tasks to be completed and milestone dates, for example : preliminary draft, who that needs to be accepted by; the draft, who that needs to be accepted by; the finished work and who that needs to be accepted by. Be clear that final payment will depend on agreement by a specified group/individual; Procedures for the finalisation of any key decisions should be outlined, similarly locations / presentations / services that will need to be ratified by agreed persons along the way as appropriate. Be clear about the length of time it should take for each stage Set milestones for the completion of various elements of the contract. Payment can be pegged to some of these. Be clear about any additional costs involved in the contract and who will be responsible for its expenditure Avoid budget over-runs by monitoring expenses throughout the consultancy. Be clear about when payment will be made It is reasonable to give a fair percentage up front as starter money to cover costs, say 25%-30%; Then a further one or two instalments may be negotiated at agreed stages; Try to keep at least 25% for the final payment, which should never be made until the goods are accepted (not delivered -accepted). Appoint a contract manager This person will oversee the project and provide day-to-day liaison with the contractor, as well as organise any meetings required to sign off milestones or other decisions requiring wider input. It is important that this person is clearly identified to the contractor, and that everyone respects their role - input from too many people can lead to confusion and an expensive, unfinished consultancy. Keep in contact throughout the process Set milestones for the completion of various sections of the contract (this can be tied into a payment schedule) Have a regular reporting schedule as part of the project – keep it brief as time is money – these are additional to the milestones meetings that mark major progress. Keep to the original contract Consultants will be keenly aware of being asked to do anything that was not in the original brief or being asked to do things that will escalate their costs. Query anything that is unclear, uncertain or not satisfactory Always remember that the museum is in charge of the project (not the consultant) and has to live with the outcomes. References and further reading: Museums Australia Inc (NSW). Museum Methods: A practical guide for managing small museums. Section 1.8 Employing consultants and contractors Directory of Heritage Consultants MA Consultants and Suppliers Register Finding Conservators