How do we calculate a quote?
We can't provide a costing estimate until we know more about the details of your project. But here is a breakdown of the process that we generally use to calculate a quote:
- Hourly rate for professional work. Field visits lasting one or more days are assumed to be 8-hour working days. Professional work includes the preliminary desktop analysis, field work, and the time required to analyse, interpret and report the results, and may include additional meetings or workshops with stakeholders if substantial time and resources are required.
The time needed for the project is based on experience and advice from fellow professionals. We will always strive to give the most realistic estimate of the time and resources needed for a specific project. To calculate the resources needed, we will use tools such as GIS to calculate the size of an area and the time required to adequately survey it, and a review of the regulatory requirements and norms and standards for the type of work we will do. Presentations, workshops and training events are costed based on the time needed for preparation as well as presentation. - Hourly or daily rate for field assistants, where necessary and depending on the expertise of the assistant.
Themeda Eco Consulting strives to provide working experience for young professionals, students and graduates who are looking to develop their careers. We have built relationships with several young professionals who are looking for full-time employment but also want to accumulate field experience. - Disbursements include a per diem for multi-day trips, a per km rate (based on AA rates) for travel by car, and costs for accommodation and flights where necessary.
- If travel to the destination is 8 hours or more (return) then a reduced hourly rate for the time on the road is added.
This is a quarter of the professional hourly rate. - An administration fee as a percentage of the operating cost is added.
- Any other costs that are unique to the client's project (e.g. security) may be added as needed.
- Themeda Eco Consulting frequently partners with associate specialists (such as soil scientists, entomologists or wetland specialists).
The costs of these professionals are usually calculated in a similar fashion but rates will vary. - A deposit is required upon acceptance of the quote.
The deposit will be 25-50% depending on the size of the project. For large projects, contractual milestones for payment of tranches will often be negotiated with the client. - Themeda Eco Consulting is not VAT-registered