Community development activities that are initiated at the local level, whether by business, government, or local residents, are often the ones that are most successful. They empower a community and allow them to take ownership of their future.

Oftentimes, though, a community may find that it cannot do the whole job on their own. Whether due to a lack of manpower, knowledge, or expertise, they must turn to an outside consultant for assistance. A consultant, whether they be an architect, engineer, planner, or grant writer, can be an invaluable resource in moving a project forward, and in the long run may save a community both time and money. They can provide a community with an unbiased, third party point of view, offer a new perspective on community issues, and may give a project credibility in the eyes of the public.

Once you have determined that a professional consultant is needed, there are a number of issues that should be considered in selecting the right consultant for your community, and to ensure a fruitful collaboration between you and your consultant.

Selecting your Consultant

The first step in choosing a consultant is to determine what type of consultant you need. Do you need an engineer for that river trail project, or is a landscape architect a better option? Is the Village's engineering firm the appropriate choice to put together the financing package for that sewer plant upgrade, or should a grant writer be hired? Understand that different consultants have different areas of expertise. An architect who specializes in historic preservation is a better choice to look at problems with your historic Town Hall's slate roof than the architect who designed the mall just outside of town. Don't hire a structural engineer when you need a civil engineer…and don't assume that they will let you know when they aren't qualified to take on a project.

Once you have decided what type of consultant is needed, you will need to locate and hire them. There are many sources available to assist in identifying qualified consultants. Government agencies and funding sources may be able to provide you with names of firms that they are familiar with, although they usually will not endorse or recommend any particular consultant. Contacting neighboring communities that have undertaken similar projects for referrals and references is also a good idea. The internet is a also a useful tool, as are professional organizations, such as the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Architects, and others. If you are unsure as to exactly what type of service you need, feel free to contact some different consultants and discuss your project with them. They work with these issues all the time, and may be able to offer a great deal of insight as to what you actually need. Any good consultant should be willing to discuss your project with you, and suggest what types of services may be appropriate to move it forward. Don't expect them to give a price quote over the phone, however, or to provide free information for which they would normally charge.

The process used to hire a consultant is a local choice, and can range from a sole source procurement (a single proposal), selection from a pre-qualified list, or a more formal request for qualifications or request for proposals. The American Planning Association's website (www.planning.org) provides more detailed information regarding the pros and cons of the various procurement options. While cost is always a consideration, it should not be the only basis by which you select your consultant. Don't assume the highest priced consultant is the best, and don't automatically choose the lowest price…you may end up getting what you pay for, and be very disappointed with the results. Look carefully at their qualifications; talk to past customers; make sure they meet their schedules and price; and meet with them face to face. You will be working closely with this person or persons, and should be comfortable with them and have confidence in their work. Once you have selected a consultant, make sure you have a written, signed contract that clearly spells out the scope of work, the responsibilities of each party, and the payment schedule.

Working with your consultant

Once you have a consultant on-board and are ready to move forward, there are a number of things to consider in order to ensure a fruitful collaboration. Below are few suggestions to keep in mind as you work with you consultant:

Remember that the relationship between you and your consultant should be a collaborative one. One of the biggest mistakes communities often make is expecting a consultant to relieve them of all responsibility in a project. Remember, this is your community, your project, and you should plan on being involved and retaining responsibility for it. That responsibility cannot be shifted entirely to a consultant. Conversely, be wary of a consultant who is reluctant to accept community input. The timeline and work scope for any project should clearly incorporate specific points in the process for review, discussion, and buy-in by local decision makers. Be sure that your consultant is prepared to present project information, answer questions, and incorporate public comments, as appropriate.

Be willing to invest the time in project planning. Work closely with the consultant upfront to clearly define a detailed scope of work. This detailed scope should be incorporated into your contract, or otherwise appended to it. Clearly communicate your goals and objectives, and your expectations regarding both the process and the final product. If you are unclear about either, the consultant can help you in clarifying them.

Be prepared to invest time in project stewardship, facilitation and management. It is critical that you be prepared to share existing information and data with the consultant. As important, you should be prepared to convey community values, issues and obstacles related to the project.

Plan time to carefully review documents and other information provided by your consultant through out project development. This is your opportunity to provide input and direction to the consultant, and you should take advantage of it. Be sure to provide feedback to your consultant on a timely basis, particularly if your contract specifies review times. If you take weeks or months to review draft documents, your consultant may question your commitment to the project, and it may end up being reflected in their quality of work.

Be willing to accept a consultant's conclusions. Remember, you hired them for their expertise. All too often a community will hire a consultant when they already know what they want the outcome to be. If the consultant's work doesn't support this pre-drawn conclusion their work is often dismissed or ignored. If you have paid good money to have a preservation architect make recommendations on fixing the roof of the old library, be willing to accept his/her recommendation over that of the contractor who lives down the street.

While you should be willing to accept a consultant's professional opinion, do not hesitate to let the consultant know if you have concerns with their recommendations or conclusions during project development. This is especially true with more subjective planning projects that don't necessarily have a "right" or "wrong". The last thing that either of you want is a final document or study that makes recommendations that are infeasible, or will never be implemented due to community conditions, economic circumstances, or political realities. Once the consultant's work is done, it may be up to you to "sell" the project to the community at large, so you should be comfortable with the final product.

Don't expect your consultant to find answers to all of your problems. Consultants are often hired in the hope that they will have the magic answer to a community's problems - the "silver bullet" that will fix everything. This is seldom the case. Community development and revitalization efforts are incremental and on-going, made up of numerous small and large projects and initiatives. Expecting a consultant to come up with the one, big idea that will fix your problem will likely lead to disappointment.

Once your collaboration with your consultant approaches its end, carefully and thoroughly review the final draft document(s). This is your final opportunity to provide input and direction in the final product. Make sure the document clearly addresses the items identified in your detailed scope of work. Take the time to share questions, comments, and concerns arising from the draft report with the consultant. Make sure that all sides of the issue(s) have been thoroughly documented, so that decision makers have adequate information to move forward. Make the consultant aware of areas that may need more detail, data, or discussion.

Once your consultant's work is finished, it doesn't mean that yours is. When you start a project, be prepared to continue it once the consultant's work is done. It is seldom that the work of a consultant will result in the completion of a project, and communities often fail to see the "big picture". Remember, that great strategic plan you and your consultant just completed for downtown wasn't the project… revitalizing your downtown was. The plan won't make any difference in your community if it is not implemented. Consultants can be a tremendous help in moving projects forward, but hard work on the part of local leaders is still vital in making concrete, positive change in your community.

Thoma Development Associates consults in the areas of community development, housing and economic development.

Resources:

New York Planning Federation
American Planning Association
New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association