Contract help please!

[planning_chick]

I currently am employed as a full time planner in My Fair City. About 18 months ago I started doing some minor consulting work on the side. Up to this point my clients have been affectionately called 'one and done' since I was providing professional testimony on small variance issues for primarily private residents - very very few corporations.

So, I have just been informed that I have been chosen to act as a planning consultant for another municipality. They want a contract and I don't have one to give quite yet. For the other clients I essentially outlined all pertinent info in a letter and had a line for their signature at the end of it. I think I need something else for a longer term muni client. Any suggestions or examples would be very much appreciated!

Thanks!

[nrschmid]

Well hopefully it's not a neighborhing community that might have a conflict of interest with your full time job. In the contract, I would include a scope of services, a billable rate you will be charging the client (including transportation costs, document preparation, etc, meetings) and any additional pertinent info. Have both of you sign the contract. Unfortunately, I can't give you examples of these types of contracts for proprietary reasons (maybe someone else on here can). Have the Village Attorney look it over. You will also need liability insurance as well.

I am sure I am leaving a TON of important info out..

[planning_chick]

Thanks for the response. The muni is in a different state than my current place of employment. Do you think a letter format is acceptable? Or should I have a cover letter with a separate document for the contract?

[nrschmid]

separate...

[Cardinal]

It should be easy for you to get an example or two. Since they are public documents, you could request copies of contracts used by other consultants in other communities.

[planning_chick]

Great idea - Thanks!

[nrschmid]

I agree that the contracts are public documents. From my experience, the actual contracts (including the dollar amounts and scope of services are usually not readily available to the public). Usually a public notice will be sent upon choosing a consultant for services (either for a project or for ongoing planning services). IMO the contract is kept under lock and key so that the municipal staff is not help to up to scrutiny: the last thing you want is to have a community question EVERY thing you do. Yes, the documents are available, but I don't think anyone, except competiting firms, are really going to know the differences between one firm and another another (so they usually don't care).

[The District]

sorry--deleted my post--should be a new thread.