Guide To Services and Policies
Types of Services
Consultation services are rendered on either an hourly or a contract basis. Services provided by the hour are considered as time and material efforts and can be arranged by Purchase Order agreements. Contract services are task and milestone based. In order to enter into a contract agreement, we require the set of tasks and the definition of requirements and deliverables in order to generate a cost proposal with estimated schedules for completion of tasks. Contract services give the best approach for a complex or cooperative development effort.
We suggest a small preliminary phase that start with your ideas and developmental concept and will provide for refined definitions and subsequent task scoping. This allows both parties to understand the effort's approach as well as the scope of the effort and estimates for the cost to complete it.
Consulting Rates
Services rendered on an hourly basis are charged at $80.00 per hour for off-site design and development work, and at $100.00 for all on-site client consultation sessions. Contract charges are estimated, bid upon and authorized on an individual case basis.
Method of Accounting
All hourly services are logged on a "Standard Service Log" form which includes the date service was rendered, type of service, hourly rate, total charges, account status and client acknowledgement of rendered services. This constitutes an invoice for each consultation delivered. Contract services are invoiced at time of delivery of product and/or services for only those hours of service delivered up to that point in time, regardless of whether or not that phase of the contract is complete. Milestone or Draw schedules will be negotiated prior to accepting a contaract for services. All equipment and purchased development items to be delivered under contract with valuation in excess of $500 will be supplied by the client or purchased by James Carter Optical Consulting with prepaid funds. Actual material costs will be documented by vendor invoice.
Method of Payment
All hourly charges are due by cash or check upon delivery and written acknowledgement for charges as provided on the "Standard Service Log" form described above. Written acceptance of a contract services bid must state the estimated total off-site and on-site hours before work may proceed on the contract. Balance of all charges for that phase of the contract delivered are due upon delivery and written acceptance of services and documentation constituting the completion of that phase.