Consultants

If utilized correctly, consultants can provide value to an organization with significant value added than if the work was performed solely by existing staff.  On the other hand, they can provide a signficand draw on cash and other resources and, if not suitsbly tasked will provide you exactly what you asked for, just not what you needed.

I understand this world.  I have worked for a Consulting organization for years, my parents both were consultants at one time or another as were a lot of their friends.  Let me first point out a few things.  One often hears about the fact that some consultant makes say $1000 a day.  The moans, groans and shrieks start because this person, who is perhaps age 50 makes a significant multiple of your salary. Consider that the rate that is paid has to cover things like holidays, health and liability insurance, vacation, index pension – in your dreams as it is usually RRSP’s.  Then there is their management overhead, ie who handles to contracting issues, training to remain current and proficient and the likelihood that like it or not, you won’t be working 100% of the time you could.

Consultants also know the laws of supply and demand and are aware of concepts such as contracts being awarded on a lowest ‘price per point’.  A good use of a consultant is to have knowledge transfer.  The consultant shows up, does their thing, be it training, or setup or implementation, then gives the end items back for the owner to use and operate.  Consultants also can being in expertise which the organization does not have or could not hope to easily gather.  A hypothetical example would be a consultant o assist in the definition of specification for a Tunnel Boring Machine for the Tunnel.  Suitably chosen, these people will ask questions about things regular staff may not have known existed.  The bigger the dollar value, the more valuable well contracted consultants are.

What I have seen, is city staff and council go to a consultant when the decision my have risk involved and accountability deflection is required.  [The consultant said it was ok],  poor resource management [the department has 80 people yet none are available] or just not cost effective [absentee consultant].  I want to see the use of outside resources reduced, not eliminated.  Better justification, public disclosure of who requested the resources, who approved it would be start.