THE PRACTICAL GUIDES
How to compare AI consulting quotes
Two quotes are comparable only when they cover the same work. A strategy workshop, a proof of concept and a maintained production system have different deliverables. Begin with a scope table rather than a headline price.
Separate the cost components
- Discovery: interviews, process mapping, data assessment and a written recommendation.
- Build: development, integration, testing and deployment.
- Adoption: training, documentation and rollout support.
- Operation: hosting, model usage, software licences, monitoring and support.
- Changes: what happens when the data, integrations or requirements change.
Ask each provider to identify which items are included, optional or excluded. Record currency, GST treatment, payment milestones and the assumptions behind any usage estimate in the written proposal.
A day rate is not a project budget
Mensor publishes a starting advisory day rate and separately scoped build work. That is useful information about an engagement model; it does not establish a typical market price or the cost of your project. The directory leaves unknown prices unconfirmed rather than estimating a range from unrelated services.
Ask what “finished” means
For a pilot, specify which workflow it will demonstrate and how results will be assessed. For a production build, clarify integrations, access controls, failure handling, user documentation and support. Ask whether source code, configuration, accounts and deployment instructions will be handed over, and whether a different supplier could maintain the result.
Compare with a shared worksheet
Use one row per deliverable and one column per proposal. Add rows for internal staff time, data preparation, recurring charges, support response and exclusions. Mark unanswered items as open questions. A fixed fee with an unclear scope can be harder to evaluate than a staged engagement with explicit decision points.
Set a decision point before expansion
Agree what evidence would justify continuing after discovery or a pilot. Avoid treating estimated time savings as realised savings. Record the original process, the proposed measurement and who will review the result. This is a practical procurement framework, not a statement of market rates.
Next: Plan a first AI pilot, or browse implementation providers.
Editorial guidance with linked sources. Reviewed 2026-09-19.