This chapter deals with what is entailed in the crucial stage of agreeing the contract. It is tempting to regard this as simply a technical and administrative matter, but nothing could be further from the reality. The fact is that by the time the consultancy is into the negotiating, pre-contract phase, for better or worse, it has already begun. It is vital that as consultants we have made all our preparations well before the contracting stage, whatever outcome is likely. In our experience, something like two out of three possible consultancies do not reach fruition as a viable contract. This is a fact we live with and accept as part of the sector in which we work. So, we include in this chapter the two aspects of developing our resources as critical and self-critical consultants and completing the contract for the consultancy. It is also important for the consultant to include in the planning the ways and means by which the changes or other initiatives will be sustained, monitored, evaluated and reported on, as well as, of course, having an exit strategy for the consultant (see Chapter Six).

The better we know people and the more straightforward the consultancy task seems to be, the more tempting it may be, the more disastrous may be the consequences of not having a contract. Consultancies seldom take place over very short periods and there is a likelihood that either somebody will forget or have a different recall of a verbal agreement. Key members of staff, as well as participating citizens, may change during the course of a contract, making some form of written agreement advisable.

Importance of the contract

The term contract is used to refer to a verbal or written, formal or informal agreement between the parties to the consultancy about the aims of the consultancy, the work to be undertaken by the consultant, any anticipated contributions by the client and the anticipated outcomes from the consultancy. What is crucial is that there is an agreement. Even though the client may avoid committing to a document called a contract, it is incumbent on the consultant to make sure that the key items agreed are written down and shared between the parties to the agreement.