PAYNE Engagements
WAYS TO ENGAGE

Scoped in writing. Priced before work.

Every engagement starts the same way: a written scope, a defined deliverable and an explicit price — agreed before work begins. No meters running, no scope drift, no surprises on the invoice.

ENGAGEMENT TYPES

Six shapes. One discipline.

Different problems need different containers. Each type below carries the same rules: written scope, defined deliverable, explicit price — before anything starts.

DIAGNOSTIC

Diagnostic

A bounded look at one defined problem. You get findings in writing — what is actually true, what it costs you and what to do about it.

FIXED-SCOPE DILIGENCE

Fixed-scope diligence

Verification and economics on a specific asset or opportunity. Sources checked, numbers modeled, risks named — before you commit.

PILOT

Pilot

A small, reversible first engagement that proves the working relationship. Low commitment on both sides; the evidence decides what comes next.

IMPLEMENTATION SPRINT

Implementation sprint

A defined system designed, built, tested and handed over. You own the result and the documentation — not a dependency.

RETAINED RADAR

Retained radar

Ongoing monitoring and sourcing against your written criteria, delivered as a regular written brief. It continues only while it earns its place.

CUSTOM

Custom

Some problems need their own shape. Define the problem; the engagement is designed around it — and scoped in writing like everything else.

HOW PRICING WORKS

The price is part of the scope.

Pricing is a decision input, not a negotiation tactic. You know the number before the work exists — so you can judge the trade honestly.

  • Exact price, in writing. The written scope states the exact price before any work starts. If the price is not in the scope, there is no price.
  • No open-ended billing. No running meters and no invoice surprises — the price agreed is the price paid.
  • Changes are re-scoped. If the work changes, the scope changes: in writing, agreed by both sides, before the work continues.
  • Published build pricing. The current published pricing for website and digital builds lives on the Digital Systems page.
What creates an engagement: an engagement exists only when both sides sign a written scope. Email correspondence alone does not create one — and nothing on this page is an offer until it is scoped and signed.

Describe the problem.

Send what you are facing, what a good outcome looks like, and any timing constraints. A person reads and answers every message — and the reply names the engagement type that fits.

Email the desk