Consultative billable time is sometimes unavoidable when accumulating a complete understanding of our client's needs, or "pain points." In general, additional cost only occurs with larger clients having more complex environments, which are characterized by the following traits:

• Complex Infrastructures: multiple networks, significant routing and switching requirements, other complexities that require a significant amount of time to include in planning and/or corrective measures;
  
• Complex application structures: multiple independent/dependent server application architectures, or clustering solutions;
• Custom applications that require research into their compatibility with certain hardware or Operating Systems;
• Other rarer situations, where key components that comprise the entire business systems have never been documented, and there is little or no knowledge of key aspects that would lead to a successful outcome for you, our client.

While the above situations do occur, in general, most firms utilize standardized software that does not result in any billable time. In particular, this is true of smaller firms. As such, CPS generally considers consultative services to be part of the bidding process when the time required in order to provide a proposed Scope of Work is not excessive.

Honesty, Integrity and Confidentiality define CPS as an Information Technology Firm!

A Scope of Work includes the following (as applicable):

• Statement of general services required by the client;
• Overview of the infrastructure and any recommendations by CPS, to include: wiring, switches routers, Internet Connectivity;
• Overview of security and recommendations by CPS;
• General time requirements, if determined by CPS that more extensive discovery is required. Along with detail cost associated with further consultative services;
• Specific recommendations for hardware/software that will be required by the project, as well as line item costs;
• Specific time and labor costs to perform the Scope of Work.

CPS develops the Scope of Work as a blueprint, to ensure that we do not exceed the quoted project. Our management team monitors and communicates progress to clients throughout the project, and if unforeseen difficulties arise, we immediately discuss the situations with you, our client. If such a situation occurs, and it is reasonable that CPS should have anticipated the issue, there is no additional cost to your firm – outside of the unanticipated delay in finishing the project. However, if conversely, CPS encounters issues that could not have been reasonably anticipated, we present your representative with the facts along with the anticipated cost to complete the project.

CPS will be pleased to provide customer references that will attest to our consultative process and the consultative methodology presented above.